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THE GIRL SCOUTS SERIES 


The Girl Scouts and 
the Open Road 


BOOKS BY MARGARET VANDERCOOK 

THE SANCH GIRLS SERIES 
The Ranch Girls at Rainbow Lodge 
The Ranch Girls* Pot of Gold 
The Ranch Girls at Boarding School 
The Ranch Girls in Europe 
The Ranch Girls at Home Again 
The Ranch Girls and their Great Adventure 
The Ranch Girls and their Heart’s Desire 
The Ranch Girls and the Silver Arrow 

THE RED CROSS SERIES 
The Red Cross Girls in the British Trenches 
The Red Cross Girls on the French Firing Line 
The Red Cross Girls in Belgium 
The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army 
The Red Cross Girls with the Italian Army 
The Red Cross Girls tmder the Stars and Stripes 
The Red Cross Girls Afloat with the Flag 
The Red Cross Girls with Pershing to Victory 
The Red Cross Girls with the U. S. Marines 
The Red Cross Girls in the National Capital 

STORIES ABOUT CAMP FIRE GIRLS 
The Camp Fire Girls at Sunrise Hill 
The Camp Fire Girls Amid the Snows 
The Camp Fire Girls in the Outside World 
The Camp Fire Girls across the Sea 
The Camp Fire Girls* Careers 
The Camp Fire Girls in After Tears 
The Camp Fire Girls on the Edge of the Desert 
The Camp Fire Girls at the End of the Trail 
The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines 
The Camp Fire Girls on the Field of Honor 
The Camp Fire Girls in Glorious France 
The Camp Fire Giris in Merrie England 
The Camp Fire Girls at Half Moon Lake 

THE GIRL SCOUTS SERIES 
The Girl Scouts of'tiie Eagle’s 
The Girl Scouts in Beechwood Forest 
The Girl Scouts of the Round Table 




THE GIRL SCOUTS SERIES 


The Girl Scouts and 
the Open Road 


By 

MARGARET VANDERCOOK 

Author of “The Ranch Girls Series,” 
“The Red Cross Girls Series,” “Stories 
About Camp Fire Girls,” etc. 


1lUu0trate£> 


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THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 

Publishers Philadelphia 








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Copyright, 1923, by 
The John C. Winston Company 
PRINTED IN U. 8. A. 




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SEP 24 23 


©C1A760018 
•U5 I 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Thicket. 9 

II. Alone. 22 

III. Discovery. 31 

IV. A September Day. 49 

V. Points of Contact. 61 

VI. Fear and Relief. 71 

VII. The Kentucky River. 83 

VIII. A Strange Spectacle. 94 

IX. The Open Road. 105 

X. The Storm and the Story. 118 

XL A Spectre. 136 

XII. The Call. 150 

XIII. So AS BY Fire. 159 

XIV. An Autumn Hillside. 169 

XV. Mammoth Cave. 181 

XVI. Scouting. 195 

XVII. The Broad Highway. 201 

XVIII. Out op the Past . 215 





























CHAPTER I 


THE THICKET 

T he laurel and rhododendron thicket 
extended as far as the eye could 
reach. 

This afternoon in the late sunshine the 
foliage showed silver and gray; the flowers 
having long since faded, the seed-pods were 
slowly maturing. 

^^Do you think we are lost in a trackless 
wilderness, Dorothy? I donT believe any 
human being ever penetrated this thicket 
before, and certainly no Girl Scout.^^ 

The girfls voice revealed a pretense of 
gaiety. 

Before replying her companion stumbled; 
after regaining her balance she stood a mo¬ 
ment swaying uncertainly. 

^^You are braver than I am, Tory, if you 
can still even attempt to appear cheerful. 
In spite of our Girl Scout training I am about 
to give up hope. When shall we find a trail? 
We lost our way before twelve o^clock and 

(9) 


10 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


it is now—I wonder what hour it is? My 
watch has stopped/^ 

Both girls glanced upward toward the sky. 
beheve it must be between four and 
five o’clock. Don’t be discouraged. Try to 
have faith^ Dorothy, it is a much stronger 
attribute than hope and affords one greater 
help. Once we are safely out of this thicket 
there is sure to be a trail on the farther side 
leading down the mountain. If only Ann 
Craig were with us, she could supply us with 
knowledge as well as faith.” 

The two girls were dressed in Scout uni¬ 
forms bearing the insignia of their troop, an 
eagle’s wing. 

They moved on, now walking with increas¬ 
ing slowness and evidence of fatigue. They 
were compelled to choose their steps warily, 
since the ground underfoot was a network of 
tangled roots and branches. With their 
hands they thrust aside the heavy foliage 
which everywhere impeded their movement, 
not daring to look ahead savewhen they were 
compelled to pause for a few moments’ rest. 

In their hearts they realized that whatever 
the degree of their exhaustion and depression 
they must not confess even to each other, 
since confession might mean defeat. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


11 


Tory, who was frailer and smaller than her 
companion, began humming a Girl Scout song 
of the outdoors. ^ She had red-gold hair, 
brown eyes and a skin of a clear, healthy 
pallor. 

The song was not a success. Her lips were 
too parched and dry. She dared not waste 
her strength. She and Dorothy McClain 
were strangers in the Cumberland mountains. 
During the summer holiday of “The Girl 
Scouts in Mystery Valley,^’ they had been 
told many stories of men and women, natives 
to these mountains, who disappeared and were 
never seen again. Unless they could reach 
the end of the thicket this must be their own 
fate. Obviously no one had traveled this 
way before. 

“Dorothy!’^ Tory^s voice was weaker, 
her hps paler. She had just discovered a hole 
in her water bottle and that it was completely 
empty. 

Her companion, a few feet ahead, made her 
way back. Asking no questions, she extended 
her own bottle, but when Tory had moistened 
her lips they reahzed that their supply of 
water was now almost gone, and thirst is ever 
harder for the lost traveler to endure than 
hunger. 


12 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


They trudged on, a half mile, a mile, hav¬ 
ing lost all ability to estimate or even to guess 
at the distance. 

Three days before from the House by the 
Granite Ledge overlooking Mystery Valley 
the Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing with their 
Scout Captain and guide had started for their 
journey along the open road. Before reaching 
the open road in the blue-grass region of 
Kentucky they planned to ascend and descend 
the trail over Firescald Mountain in the heart 
of the Cumberlands. 

Only this morning the plan held all its 
original charm. 

No one of the travelers had been ill or dis¬ 
agreeable. The weather had been perfect, 
not an hour of rain, no mountain mists, save 
in the early morning when the dawn colors 
turned the mists into ascending clouds of opal 
and rose. 

With his old coach Jeb Tolliver had lum¬ 
bered on ahead. If one grew weary a half 
hour or an hour’s rest inside the coach was 
suflicient. 

“I do wish Jeb had not turned back,” 
Dorothy murmured aloud. She was not 
speaking to her companion, she was not aware 
that her words had been uttered aloud. Some 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


IS 


time before they had ceased all effort at con¬ 
versation. Besides, Tory was at present 
half a dozen yards away. Yesterday of 
course the trail grew too steep for Jeb to 
manage his old wagon, but he might have 
continued on horseback or on foot. We were 
foolish to think we could follow the trail with¬ 
out him.” Unconsciously Dorothy sighed. 
She was ashamed of her growing weakness 
and gloom. Stronger and a few months older 
than Tory Drew, she believed that she had 
shown less courage and fortitude. And she 
was a country doctor^s daughter with half a 
dozen brothers and had spent a great part of 
her life out of doors. 

^‘The fault after all was Tory’s and mine,” 
she continued aloud. We should never have 
dropped behind to talk of Katherine Moore 
and of Lance, even if Kara is Tory’s dearest 
friend and Lance my own best beloved brother. 
One, two, three, four, five, six, nearly seven 
hours since we lost the trail, lost the trail!” 

Suddenly the girl ceased. She had heard 
the sound of her own voice and realized that 
she was speaking aloud and repeating her own 
words. 

Dorothy McClain was a tall, fair girl with 
slender shoulders and an athletic figure. Her 


14 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


hair was a gold brown and her eyes gray blue. 
Ordinarily she had a bright color, but this 
afternoon her color had vanished. A year 
before her brother and Katherine Moore had 
gone to Europe with Katherine^s guardian, 
Lance to study music, Kara to try to recover 
from a fall during the hoHday encampment of 
^^The Girl Scouts in Beechwood Forest.^^ 

At this moment Dorothy placed her hand 
as a shield before her eyes. Dared she trust 
her own vision? Was it possible that she 
beheld about a quarter or half mile away the 
shadow of green branches higher overhead 
than the growth of this everlasting tangle of 
thicket. If only she and Tory Drew might 
reach the beginning of a woods their way 
would be far easier. In the first place they 
could lie down on a little clearing and rest, 
in the second place there might be a chance 
of discovering a stream, although water was 
not very abundant in the Cumberland hills. 
And greatest of all, perchance a trail might 
be found among the trees. Men and women 
must now and then traverse the forests for 
wood and game and fish. No one who knew 
the mountains ever set foot within a laurel 
thicket. She would not, however, speak of 
her hope to Tory for the present, fearing 
disappointment. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


15 


More resolutely and unconsciously with 
increasing speed she pushed her way on ahead. 

Had she looked behind she might have 
become aware that a change had taken place 
in her companion. 

Tory’s valor, her fight to maintain not alone 
her own faith and courage, but her compan¬ 
ion’s in adversity, had passed. No longer 
was she endeavoring to deceive herself. Why 
suppress the truth? Hopelessly and for all 
time she and Dorothy were lost in a tangled 
wilderness from which there was no escape. 
In time, it was true, some one might discover 
them. How many days, weeks? And her 
own strength would not hold out for hours. 

Dorothy was gaining upon her. She could 
not maintain the struggle. Yet she would 
not call out to ask aid. Better Dorothy 
should seek safety alone. 

Tory’s mind also was becoming confused. 
Every few feet she staggered now and clutched 
at the heavy branches. Holding them back 
and letting go too swiftly they struck and 
bruised her face and arms and body. Her 
head felt dizzy. She was overheated from her 
long struggle and the rays of the late summer 
sun beating down for so many hours almost 
directly upon her. The mountains were sup- 


16 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


posed to be cool, but since early noon to-day 
the warmth had been intense. Where could 
she find strength and heahng? 

Tory thought of their Scout Captain, Mem¬ 
ory Frean, who had been her uncle Richard 
Fenton’s friend so many years before. Mem¬ 
ory Frean, her own Patrol of Girl Scouts, 
Donald McClain, Dorothy’s brother, Geoffry 
Burnett, who was to accompany their walking 
party on his way to college in Berea, Ken¬ 
tucky, doubtless were searching Firescald 
Mountain at this moment, seeking to find the 
lost. There was no consolation, but deepen¬ 
ing regret in this idea. Were there no lines 
in her Scouting book intending to bring strength 
to the weak, courage to the timid, faith to the 
doubting? 

j; Unexpectedly Tory’s mental confusion less¬ 
ened. Already she was calmer. What were 
the words trying to form themselves in her 
tired brain? 

^^Our heart is not turned back; neither our 
steps gone out of the way. No, not when 
Thou hast smitten us into the place of dra¬ 
gons.” The lines were from one of the great 
Psalms. Tory smiled. Why should their 
danger appear less? 

^^We are not in the ^place of dragons.’ 


[AND THE OPEN ROAD 


17 


After all, only wildcats and a few bears inhabit 
these hills/^ 

She was smiling when her foot again caught 
in a tangle of knarled roots and twigs. As 
she struck the ground she was no longer afraid, 
instead there was an instant when she was 
aware of being grateful for the descending 
darkness and peace. 

An hour after when finally Tory opened her 
eyes she discovered that she was alone. Still 
she was not frightened. She could see the 
sky above her between the green branches of 
a tree. Thrusting out her hand she touched, 
not the leaves of the laurel or the gnarled 
roots and trunks, but the sweet, warm earth. 

She was out of the tangled copse and by 
what method this seeming miracle had been 
achieved she did not question. She was not 
even particularly tired. A dull pain in her 
head troubled her only slightly. 

Five minutes passed, then ten. Was she 
hearing the most beautiful sound in nature, 
the sound of running water, or was this only 
an impression because of the strength of her 
own desire? 

Tory closed her eyes again. Some one was 
coming toward her. She realized that Dorothy 
McClain had gone on further to seek assistance 
and was now returning alone. 


2 


18 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


The touch of fresh cool water on her fore¬ 
head and lips was more comforting than any 
human aid. 

“Dorothy, you miracle worker, tell me 
everything that has taken place since I fainted 
or fell! I don^t know what occurred, I do 
believe you managed all alone to carry or 
drag me out of the thicket.^^ 

Tory suddenly sat up. The movement was 
too abrupt, for a sharper pain in her head 
informed her that she must have hurt herself 
seriously in falling, but the smile of relief on 
Dorothy^s face was sufficient compensation. 

“You are wearier than I am. Do please 
sit down and forgive me, if it is possible, for 
being such a nuisance. When I think of how 
I preached to you! Perhaps it is preaching, 
not pride, that goes before a fall.^^ 

Tory was like herself, the old gaiety and 
courage. 

Dorothy McClain had been through a dark 
hour and was glad to drop on the ground 
beside her friend. 

“Yes, ril rest, but only for a few moments, 
Tory. And Ill tell you what has happened, 
because I have good news. I was rushing on 
ahead of you because I felt pretty sure that I 
had found a place where ,the laurel copse 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


19 


ended. I did not dare speak of it for fear we 
should both be disappointed. However, the 
idea gave me more pep and energy than I had 
before. And I was right. I came to a spot 
at last where there was no doubt there was a 
forest of trees and real, solid earth, not a 
tangle of vines. I shouted ^hurrah^, I believe. 
Anyhow I turned, but you were not to be 
seen. Of course I rushed back, calling and 
crying, I am afraid. As a Girl Scout of 
several years’standing I should not confess 
this, but I was so tired and so nervous I felt 
as if the earth had swallowed you up and I 
was alone in no man’s land. Then I saw a 
shadow on the ground. Finding you, I car¬ 
ried you somehow to this grove of trees. As 
well for you that you were unconscious, be¬ 
cause I don’t suppose I was gentle! Part of 
the time I must have hauled you as if you 
were a bundle of old clothes too heavy to lift. 
I left you here after a few minutes and went 
on. No, T was not afraid, Tory darling. 
I discovered a trail and knew that in these 
mountains a trail always leads finally to 
running water.” 

Impulsively Dorothy McClain, who was 
the least demonstrative of persons, leaned 
over and kissed the other girl’s white lips. 


20 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


'^Tory, the trail brought me not only to a 
creek—crik, the mountaineers say—but to a 
tiny log cabin a few yards beyond. A mysteri¬ 
ous fact is that the cabin is empty, although I 
believe some one has been living there within 
the past week/^ 

Tory put up her hand to her temple. 

“I can go with you at once, I seem to have 
hurt my head when I fell, but I donT think 
the wound is serious. Besides, your good 
news, Dorothy, makes one strong again. Of 
course the cabin has an owner who may return 
now at any time. Surely we can find some¬ 
thing to eat and remain there over night.” 

Making another sudden effort to arise, Tory 
felt an annoying return of the past faintness 
and knew that Dorothy^s arm was placed 
about her waist. 

see if there is anything I can do for you 
later. Now we must go on if possible. Dark¬ 
ness is almost upon us.” 

Tory nodded. In another moment she was 
upon her feet and the two of them moving on 
slowly. Once only did they permit themselves 
to rest; then they did not sit down by the 
water^s edge, but instead stretched out flat 
upon the ground, dropping their hands into 
its cooling depth. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


21 


Does He not water the furrows of the earth 
and sendest rain into the little valley thereof: 
Thou makest it soft with drops of rain and 
blesseth the increase of it/^ 

Tory Drew laughed softly. She had damp¬ 
ened the bandage she found in her Scout knap¬ 
sack and was binding it about her own 
temples. 

^^No, I am not delirious, Dorothy, donT 
look so alarmed. I was quoting a Psalm 
when I fell and now I am merely going on 
with my quotation. I believe I can see the 
log cabin! Now I find it is so near I shall not 
rest again until after we arrive.^' 

In this world certain scenes make impres¬ 
sions upon us that neither years nor manifold 
experiences wipe out. Neither Dorothy 
McClain nor Tory Drew would ever forget 
the tiny hut with its background of sombre 
hills. Before the door was a cleared space of 
perhaps a dozen yards and around this grew 
a hedge of wild roses transplanted from the 
lower slopes of the hill. 

^Hdl knock again and perhaps some one 
will hear me this time. Tory, will you wait 
here? Dorothj^ suggested. 

Tory preferred to accompany her to the 
closed door. 


CHAPTER II 


ALONE 

T here was no reply, not to repeated 
knockings. 

Suddenly the angry barking of a 
dog broke the stillness. 

Tory was absurdly afraid of dogs, but 
Dorothy McClain had no more fear of them 
than the average boy. 

The dog that now appeared at one side of 
the cabin was a hunting dog, a beautiful 
creature of cream and golden brown, with 
intelligent, gentle eyes, who recognized at 
once that the two girls were not ordinary 
intruders. When Dorothy spoke and held 
out her hand he came fawning to her feet as 
if grateful for the interruption to his solitude. 

^^Some one must be living here, for this dog 
is absolute proof of the fact. I shall make an 
effort to push open the door,^^ Dorothy an¬ 
nounced authoritatively, observing that Tory^s * 
reserve of strength was now finally used up 
and that she must have rest and food before 
they could travel another yard. 

( 22 ) 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


23 


Stronger than the average girl, the door 
gave way so promptly to her push that Doro¬ 
thy was almost precipitated headlong into the 
cabin. 

Her surmise was correct, the single room 
was empty, although undoubtedly some one 
recently had occupied it. 

By the fireplace stood a pile of logs and a 
basket of chips and pine cones. The room 
was comparatively clean. Greatest boon of 
all, Dorothy discovered almost in the first 
glance a meagre supply of food. A shelf ran 
along one side of the wall and upon this shelf 
stood several cans and paper bags, while be¬ 
neath hung a saucepan and a frying pan. 

A cot in the comer was covered with a pair 
of army blankets. 

Tory Drew had entered the cabin. She now 
stood staring about her as if scarcely aware 
of where she was or of what was expected of 
her. _ J 

Without any discussion of the question, 
Dorothy led her to the couch, and when she 
had dropped down upon it removed her kit¬ 
bag and shoes and with greater difficulty her 
coat. Tory had almost ceased from sheer 
exhaustion to be able to render any assistance. 

A half hour later Dorothy had the fire burn- 


24 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


ing, grateful beyond words to the thrifty 
householder who had left the convenient sup¬ 
ply of wood. A little later she was pouring a 
cup of warm soup between Tory^s lips. To 
her intense anxiety she was beginning to be 
aware that the wound Tory had received was 
more serious than either one of them had 
dreamed. There was no open wound or cut, 
only a deep bruise above the temple that 
was slowly darkening. Worst feature of all, 
Tory was slightly delirious, with only brief 
flashes of consciousness. 

Dorothy McClain was a physician^s daugh¬ 
ter as well as a Girl Scout. She appreciated 
that there was nothing she could do for her 
friend at present save to keep her quiet and 
in so far as possible allay her fever. Her tem¬ 
perature was not high at the moment but 
would in all probability increase during the 
night. 

Had she the opportunity, Dorothy might 
have thought of her own fatigue; she had been 
sufliciently conscious of it a few hours before, 
but now could only think of Tory. 

A battered tin bucket rewarded a moment^s 
search. She immediately left the house for 
water, realizing that Tory^s hands and head 
must be bathed during the night and that she 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


25 


must see that she drank as much water as she 
had strength to swallow. 

As she left the cabin, even in the midst of 
her anxiety and loneliness, Dorothy paused 
for an instant, overcome by the lofty grandeur 
and beauty of her strange surroundings. 

The sun had gone down behind the hills 
and only the afterglow remained. The higher 
mountains beyond formed a rim of blue so 
deep that it was almost purple. In the woods 
the screech owls were calling and the whip- 
poor-wills beginning their plaintive lament. 
There were other and less familiar noises. As 
she hurried on her errand Dorothy was in¬ 
creasingly grateful for the shelter of the little 
cabin. 

Upon her return she was wise enough to eat 
and drink. 

How long Tory would be ill or when they 
would be discovered she had no way of know¬ 
ing. The owner of the cabin, man or woman, 
or both, might return at any moment or be 
gone for days or weeks. Their own party 
would doubtless scour the mountain until they 
were found, but it might be necessary that 
they seek experienced aid. 

By and by Dorothy sat down by the fire 
a few feet from Tory^s couch. She would 


26 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


keep the fire burning through the night, as 
she had found no candle or oil and had no 
other light, save the light of the stars that 
shone through the many open spaces in the 
cabin roof. 

The moon would not rise until after mid¬ 
night. 

Dorothy felt she must not dare to sleep, 
for Tory might need her at any instant. 
Moreover, she must be awake to explain their 
presence if the owner of the cabin returned. 
There was not one chance in a hundred that 
a prowler in the mountains would light upon 
the trail that had led them hither, but even 
for this Dorothy endeavored to be prepared. 

An old rifle stood in a corner of the room. 
Fortunately her brother Donald had taught 
her how to load and unload a gun and also to 
shoot at clay pigeons. 

Dorothy remembered to-night how often 
she had protested that she would never fire 
at any living thing. Well, one never knew 
what demands destiny might make! She 
would shoot if necessary to save Tory. She 
might also be compelled to hunt game, for the 
provisions in the cabin were perilously scant. 

During the first hours of the night, not¬ 
withstanding her excellent intentions, Dorothy 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


27 


fell often into a light slumber. She was glad 
of the comforting presence of the dog. Tory^s 
return to consciousness became less and less 
frequent; she felt alone in the world with only 
the firelight and the starshine overhead. 

Dreaming occasionally, she was not always 
sure whether the dreams were waking or 
sleeping ones. 

The cabin consisted of only one room with 
the stone fireplace in the center. On the left 
side of the room a steep ladder led up to what 
looked to be a half story that might prove a 
storeroom or a sleeping room. Such an ar¬ 
rangement was common in the primitive 
mountain cabins, where father and mother 
slept inThe large room that served as kitchen, 
living room, and dining room, while the chil¬ 
dren were stored away in an attic chamber 
under the roof. 

In the morning Dorothy meant to explore, 
when daylight would make all further explo¬ 
ration simpler. 

Waking two or three times under the im¬ 
pression that Tory had stirred and was need¬ 
ing her, Dorothy heard mysterious sounds in 
this dim chamber. She was nervous over the 
noises, although perfectly aware that the room 
was probably inhabited by squirrels who were 
storing away supplies for winter. 


29 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Before daylight Dorothy arose and for the 
fifth time bathed Tory^s face and hands. Try 
as she might to persuade herself that her 
friend^s fever was less, she found this self- 
deception out of the question. 

Oftentimes during the earlier months of 
the summer their Scout Captain, Memory 
Frean, had insisted that Tory was overexerting 
herself with the long mountain climbs and the 
repeated trips into Mystery Valley. Her 
present condition might be due partly to 
strain. If they were in for a long, lonely 
siege Dorothy asked herself all the demands, 
spiritual, mental and physical, that would be 
made upon her? ^ 

She sat down by the edge of Tory’s cot, 
leaning her head against it. The nearness 
brought a degree of consolation. The dog 
changed his position and came and lay down 
at her feet. The gun stood against one side 
of the chimney, the fire was burning low but 
would last until morning. 

This time Dorothy did not fall asleep as 
she had earlier in the night. She was rested 
and her brain had become more active. She 
had not given a great deal of thought to their 
Scout Captain and the other Girl Scouts and 
to her brother, Donald McClain, who was 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


29 


traveling with them. At first she had been 
too full of Tory^s need and her own. Now 
she could vision them, how worn out and dis¬ 
couraged they must be to-night after searching 
for them since before noon. 

If any one of their own party found them, 
' Dorothy believed in Ann Craig, the young 
girl from Mystery Valley who had lived with 
the Girl Scouts and Miss Frean in the House 
by the Granite Ledge during the early part of 
the summer. Ann loved her mountains and 
knew them. She was returning to spend the 
winter in Westhaven with the Scout Captain, 
Memory Frean. In an emergency calling for 
physical courage and prowess one could trust 
Ann. 

Again Dorothy felt a profound desire for 
sleep returning and this time did not resist 
the desire. As a result of her fever Tory was 
sleeping more deeply. In a few hours day 
would be upon them. 

When Dorothy awakened a bar of sunlight 
lay across her face. 

Walking to the door, she opened it to allow 
the fresh mountain air to sweep through the 
cabin. The dog bounded past her to hunt 
his own breakfast. Upon her couch Tory 
stirred and spoke indistinctly. 


30 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


Dorothy stood quietly studying her sur¬ 
roundings by the light of a new day. Could 
any human being choose to hve amid such 
beauty and such loneliness? So far as they 
were concerned she and Tory had no choice 
at present. Surely the owner of the cabin 
would return some time during the day! She 
could not endure the thought of passing an¬ 
other such night with Tory so ill and all the 
world of people she knew and loved so far 
away. 

^‘1 feel as if Tory and I had been trans¬ 
ported to one of the mountains in the moon 
and left there to look after ourselves/’ 
Dorothy murmured aloud. She then turned 
and set about the day’s tasks. 


CHAPTER III 


DISCOVERY 

A WEEK had passed. It was now a 
little before high noon. 

A girl was wandering slowly and 
cautiously through a forest of trees with a 
rifle slung over her shoulder and carrying a 
bunch of freshly killed game. She was wear¬ 
ing a Girl Scout uniform, shabby and faded 
and looking as if it had seen hard service. 

The week through which she had just lived 
had altered Dorothy McClain. Her face 
showed older and graver, the lines were thin¬ 
ner. Responsibility had been thrust too 
suddenly upon her. Circumstances had de¬ 
manded that she display the resourcefulness 
and a tirelessness greater than she would have 
considered herself capable of had the test not 
been made. 

After seven days of illness, with only occa¬ 
sional flashes of consciousness, Tory Drew 
had not recovered. Better she was undoubt¬ 
edly; her fever had grown perceptibly less, 

( 31 ) 


82 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


yet still she was unable to sit up or to care 
for herself in any fashion. 

Leaving Tory alone in the cabin was a 
source of deep anxiety, and nothing save 
necessity would have induced Dorothy to go 
so far away as she was at the present moment. 
Their food supply had grown alarmingly small. 
Indeed, nothing at all remained of the supply 
they had found in the cabin save a few scant 
handfuls of corn meal and a single can of soup. 
This last must be preserved for Tory. The 
day might come when she could not go forth 
to hunt or fish, or, notwithstanding her effort, 
her luck might fail. 

Fortunately to-day fate had been kind. 
Dorothy had sufficient game to carry them 
through another forty-eight hours. And who 
could tell at what hour relief would arrive? 

Dorothy stood resting for a moment in a 
small space between two giant forest trees. 
At a short distance away she could hear her 
dog hunting about among the underbrush for 
his own game. She would whistle in a few 
moments for his return, since they must be 
starting back for the cabin as soon as possible. 

The noonday sun shone bright between the 
trees. The intense brightness slightly dimmed 
the clearness of Dorothy’s vision. She was 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


33 


not gazing at the scenery. In this past week 
she had grown weary of this everlasting “sea 
of mountains. She also had grown weary 
of asking herself why no one had penetrated 
to the cabin where she and Tory were awaiting 
rescue. Certainly she was convinced that the 
search for them must still be going on. It 
would be tireless, endless. The Scout Captain, 
the Girl Scouts and her own brother, Donald, 
would never cease their effort—not until they 
completely lost hope. 

“Lost hope!'’ This thought had not 
occurred to her before. Yet of course in 
time if they were not discovered they w’ould 
be given up for lost. And then? 

Had she not resolutely put away from her 
the thought of her father's anxiety? In a 
family of six brothers she was the only 
daughter. Nor had she permitted herself to 
think of Tory Drew's uncle and aunt, Mr. 
Richard Fenton and Miss Victoria Fenton. 
Tory's artist father and her stepmother were 
in Europe, and for a little time longer would 
be spared the news of Tory's disappearance. 

Dorothy moved. She was not aware of 
whether her movement was due to the fact 
that she intended to dispel at once the useless 
trend of ideas which seemed to be taking 


34 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


possession of her, now that her hunting was 
over, or whether some sight or sound had 
aroused her wandering attention. 

Certainly she at once looked straight in 
front of her and almost directly overhead. 

Afterwards she remained utterly silent and 
transfixed, her lips actually pursed into an 0. 
She had contemplated at the same instant 
whistling to her dog. 

At the end of a branch of a tree which 
swayed slightly from the weight, and only a 
few feet above her head, a giant cat crouched 
ready to spring. The eyes glaring at her 
were brilliant jewels, two deep yellow topazes. 
The creature was not an ordinary cat, the 
forelegs were shorter and the body heavier, 
the short fur stood upright. 

There could be no mistake. Dorothy had 
been warned that there were wildcats in the 
fastnesses of these mountains. Ann Craig 
had described them to her more than once 
during the summer spent by “The Girl Scouts 
in Mystery Valley.” In an idle moment and 
in company with half a dozen other persons 
she once expressed a desire to see one of the 
wild animals so frequently discussed and so 
seldom discovered in the heart of the Cum- 
berlands. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


35 


At this instant Dorothy felt a shuddering 
sense of her own stupidity and lack of valor. 

There was a hypnotic influence in the pair 
of gleaming circles, and in the taut strength of 
the stooping animal. Horror seized her, and 
she felt limp and ill and unable to stir. Also 
she realized that any movement on her part 
might be the signal for a spring. Almost 
she could feel the clutch of those ugly brutal 
claws on her shoulders and realize that they 
were tearing through the khaki of her uniform 
into her very skin. 

Well, why not? She had no strength to 
resist further misfortune. She would not 
return to Tory Drew wounded and maimed. 
Tory might be able to care for herself. She 
’was better but assuredly she could not look 
after any one else. Still Tory would be alone. 
And the loneliness had been the thing that had 
tried her own nerves most during the past 
week. Actually if Tory had been well, there 
would have been hours when together they 
could have enjoyed their pioneer life. Cer¬ 
tainly no Girl Scout training had ever met a 
completer test! “Honor, loyalty, usefulness, 
a friend to all and a sister to every other Girl 
Scout.” 

As the Scout requirements repeated them- 


36 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


selves in Dorothy McClain’s mind, each word 
was like the tick of a clock. Slowly and with 
perfect quiet and caution she raised her rifle 
to her shoulder and taking careful and stead¬ 
fast aim, fired. She never had intended to be 
a coward, never really thought of leaving 
Tory alone to whatever fate had in store. 

As her finger pulled the trigger she felt 
calm and assured, and the following second 
the great cat sprawled dead at her feet. Not 
in vain had been this past week’s hunting 
experience when Dorothy believed every shot 
must count. The supply of ammunition she 
had found in the cabin was large, but then who 
could guess for how long a period it would be 
required? 

In a sudden attack of weakness Dorothy 
sank down upon the ground, not yet daring 
to lay her hand upon the splendid ugly 
creature she so lately had destroyed. During 
this week, when necessity had driven her, not 
once had she failed to suffer regret as well as 
pleasure at the death of each living thing her 
rifle had brought down. 

Now she was no longer alone. At the sound 
of her shot, her dog had rushed from cover. 
He was now standing nearby with ears and 
tail erect, as surprised as his new mistress by 
her unexpected quarry. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


37 


“Come, we must get back now as soon as 
possible, Tory will be needing something to 
eat,’’ Dorothy suggested, speaking in a per¬ 
fectly conversational tone and knowing the 
dog would understand. One fact that puzzled 
her among a number of others was how the 
owner of their cabin could have left so beauti¬ 
ful and valuable a dog to perish or return to a 
state of wildness? One or the other must 
happen if the dog remained alone in the moun¬ 
tains all winter. 

Of late Dorothy had given up the idea that 
their unknown hosts or host would return 
home. She was fairly convinced, however, 
that the last resident of the cabin had been a 
man. There was nothing to indicate the 
presence of two persons in the cabin, but a 
good deal of evidence, including the rifle and 
ammunition, of a man’s occupancy. 

She rose to her feet and stood hesitating, 
the dog close beside her, his silken cream and 
gold body pressed against her legs. Should 
she or should she not bear home her prey? 
The wildcat was heavy and she was carrying 
as much as she could manage with any pleasure 
at present. Still she had the hunter’s vanity! 

Then an idea occurred to her. Picking up 
the wildcat, Dorothy gave it to the dog, who 


38 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


was accustomed to obeying and would cany 
the animal back to the cabin. If possible she 
wished to preserve the skin. Her brother 
Donald and the Girl Scouts might doubt her 
prowess when they were reunited unless she 
possessed the actual evidence of her skill. 

Dorothy actually hummed a little tune as 
she drew nearer the log cabin. She was sure 
of her landmarks, no more straying from a 
trail into the mountain wilderness as long as 
she lived! 

She beheld the smoke ascending cheerfully 
from the chimney and hoped that Tory had 
slept during her absence and would be stronger 
and more like herself than at any time in the 
past week! 

To her surprise and to her annoyance Doro¬ 
thy discovered Tory moving feebly about the 
cabin room. She had piled fresh wood on the 
fire and hung up the kettle for the water to 
boil. 

As a matter of fact, except that she also was 
thinner and paler, the expression of Tory 
Drew’s face had altered less from their recent 
experience than Dorothy McClain’s. Tory 
had been physically ill, but the burden had 
not been upon her shoulders. She had not 
been compelled to make difficult decisions, to 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


39 


translate thought into swdft action. She had 
not cared for and guarded another human 
being amid primitive conditions neither of 
them could have dreamed of ever being forced 
to meet. 

^^Tory Drew, you are out of bed when I 
told you to keep perfectly quiet until I re¬ 
turned! You are becoming so disobedient 
that I am sure you must be convalescent.^^ 

Dorothy was not by nature demonstrative. 
She had lived with a family of brothers who 
did not care for a display of affection; never¬ 
theless, she stooped and kissed Tory, although 
they had been separated only a few hours. 

The two girls had been friends since their 
first introduction to each other and were 
infinitely closer now. Tory was aware that 
Dorothy had saved her life, and to Dorothy 
in the past week Tory had been like an ill 
child. 

Don’t leave me again this afternoon and 
I’ll be perfectly obedient,” Tory agreed. 
“You can’t imagine how the moments drag 
by without you. Really I am much better 
and can no longer endure seeing you bear all 
the hardships. I shall never in this world be 
able to repay you. Good gracious, what on 
earth has that dog found and brought into the 


40 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


/ 

/ 


cabin? and Tory dropped into a chair, a 
little overcome by her recent exertions and 
startled by the size of the animal the dog 
proudly laid at her feet. 

The afternoon passed swiftly with Dorothy 
and Tory. They had so much to think and 
talk of and Dorothy necessarily was busy 
every moment. She had heard the old Bible 
expression, ^^a hewer of wood and a drawer of 
water,” and of late the meaning had become 
perfectly clear. Besides, she had to hunt and 
fish and to prepare all the food. 

To-day she cleaned two quail for their din¬ 
ner and made a small hoecake with water and 
salt and a cupful of the much prized com 
meal. 

Tory sat watching them bake in the hot 
ashes, while Dorothy gathered a bowl of wild 
blackberries from the bushes behind the 
cabin. The woods that were not a quarter 
of a mile away would soon be filled with ripe 
nuts, beach nuts, black walnuts, hickory nuts 
and a few chestnuts, but until frost they could 
not be used for food. Nevertheless, Dorothy 
realized with a thrill of gratitude that when 
the wild berries ceased to be eatable, nature 
would provide them with other supplies. 

When darkness fell both girls went promptly 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


41 


to bed. They had no light except the firelight; 
Dorothy was worn out from the day^s effort 
and Tory glad enough to retire after her first 
freedom from complete invalidism. 

Ordinarily Dorothy had come to dread the 
nights far more than the days. The sense of 
their remoteness and of her own responsibility 
was apt to overpower her when she first lay 
down. She had arranged herself a bed on the 
floor beside Tory with old bedclothes discov¬ 
ered stored away in the attic chamber up¬ 
stairs. The two quilts and blanket had first 
been washed in the water of the creek and 
dried in the sim before she had made use of 
them. 

To-night Dorothy found herself too tired 
to sleep immediately, not that she was de¬ 
pressed; Tory was now so much better that 
they had spent a really happy afternoon. The 
worst of the strain seemed to be past. 

^^Even presuming we should be compelled 
to remain here all winter in this cabin, I don^t 
think we need perish, do you, Dorothy? 
What an experience! Would you really be 
so wretched? I shall now be able to help! 
Certainly both of us can manage when you 
have managed alone. Who dreamed when 
we joined the Girl Scouts we should have to 


42 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


pass through this crucible? When we return 
to civiHzation I shall insist you have won the 
Golden Eaglet on half a dozen qualifications/^ 
Tory remarked, half wistful, half gay and 
altogether like herself at last, just before her 
eyes closed for the night. 

Dorothy was recalling this speech as she 
lay listening to her companion's quiet breath¬ 
ing. To-night Tory^s fever was gone entirely 
and her temperature normal for the first time 
in a week. 

Finally she glanced at her wrist watch, dis¬ 
covering that after all it was not yet ten 
o’clock and there was no sense in being so 
impatient at her own sleeplessness. 

Getting up, Dorothy wandered to the front 
door and opened it. As a matter of fact this 
had become her regular nightly custom. She 
never confessed to herself the reason why she 
gazed out into the night before finally sur¬ 
rendering herself to unconscious repose. The 
truth was that deep in her subconscious mind 
she was always hoping to see some one ap¬ 
proaching to rescue them. 

Of course there was no one. Who would be 
so foohsh as to attempt to travel through this 
tangled wilderness at night? About her 
were only the night noises of the animals and 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


43 


birds and the infinite quiverings of the leaves 
and grasses. 

^^In the morning I shall give up all thought 
of anyone coming to find us,” she announced, 
speaking aloud, but gently so as not to disturb 
her companion. “Tory is right. If once we 
accept this situation we shall enjoy it. How 
many times I have talked of wishing to be a 
prisoner! Now my chance has arrived, I 
donT seem altogether to appreciate it!” 

Dorothy McClain was a tall, fair girl with 
long braids of light hair, a high color and clear 
blue-gray eyes. To-night she had taken off 
her coat, but was still wearing her knicker¬ 
bockers and blouse. 

“If the worst comes to the worst and Tory 
and I find we cannot live here through the 
winter, before the snows come we must start 
down the mountain and accept whatever 
comes.” 

With this decision Dorothy closed and 
barred the door, the fastening was not very 
strong or secure; she had made it herself of 
a piece of wood that slipped through two 
loops. If there were any nails about the 
cabin they were safely concealed, for she had 
searched for them in vain. 

Returning to bed, Dorothy went to sleep at 


44 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


once and slept heavily. She left her rifle 
within a few feet so that she could reach out 
and grasp it upon first awakening. Neither 
Tory nor the dog that lay near her and close 
to the fire stirred. Sleep had overcome them 
earlier in the evening. 

At the moment when Dorothy sprang to 
her feet she was scarcely conscious of what 
had aroused her. Then she heard a loud noise 
at the front door and realized that some one 
was opening it from the outside, haihmering 
first with both fists and then by a thrust of the 
shoulder. 

^^Lie still, Tory,’’ she commanded, and 
picking up her rifle moved forward and stood 
in a streak of light caused by an aperture in 
the roof. At this same instant the door burst 
open. 

A man entered the cabin. The dog uttered 
a growl and sprang at him, the next instant he 
was licking the man’s shoes and fawning upon 
him. 

Dorothy felt rather than saw Tory sit¬ 
ting up. She had not stepped out on the 
floor. Her own hand she kept on the trigger 
of her rifle as she walked nearer the intruder. 

The firelight was dim, but the moon had 
arisen and the door stood wide open so that 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


45 


the silver gleam made a straight path inside 
the room, as Dorothy moved forward in it. 

The newcomer stepped back. 

Diana, and in my own cabin and with my 
own hunting-dog!^' he murmured. ''Am I 
dreaming? " 

The voice was a well-bred southern voice 
and the young man Dorothy beheld did not 
look like a wicked character. 

"I am sorry. I fear I owe you an explana¬ 
tion for bursting in upon you like this. Truth 
to tell, how was I to know my own cabin was 
inhabited? I left here about ten days ago 
with no idea there were either wood-nymphs 
or earth-maidens within fifty miles. I am 
sure I am glad the cabin has been of service. 
And I am most grateful to you for looking 
after my 'beastie.' I would not have left the 
old fellow had I not expected to be back within 
two or three days. Perhaps you would rather 
have a light on the subject. You must have 
found it pretty dark unless you were provided 
with lamps and candles. I was forced to go 
down the mountain for supplies because 
pretty much everything had given out that a 
fellow requires even for this primitive exist¬ 
ence." 

In the meantime and as he talked the new- 


46 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


comer had lighted a match. He now stuck a 
candle that he carried in his pocket on a corner 
of the mantel. 

His eyes remained fastened upon Dorothy. 

She put down her gun with a little shiver of 
distaste for it. She wished she might never 
touch a firearm again. 

Her voice had a little catch in it, but was 
grave and sweet. 

^^My friend and I owe you the apology if 
this is your cabin. I believe wayfarers do not 
apologize for helping one another out. We 
were lost on this mountain and fate was good 
enough to direct us here a week ago. We 
have been here ever since.’^ 

Tory walked forward and slipped her arm 
through Dorothy^s. The young man saw her, 
but did not direct his gaze or his conversation 
to her. 

“Perhaps I ought to explain. My name is 
Tom Courtenay and I am not a native moun¬ 
taineer. My home is near Lexington, Ken¬ 
tucky, and I am a student at the University of 
Virginia in the winter time. This summer I 
got so tired of dances and parties I sneaked off 
here to have a quiet month to myself.” 

Partly from sheer relief and partly from the 
oddness of their situation, Dorothy laughed. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


47 


'^Well, I regret it, but you cannot enjoy 
your solitude for a few hours anyhow and per¬ 
haps for a longer time. I am Dorothy Mc¬ 
Clain and this is my friend, Victoria Drew. 
We owe you more explanation. We have been 
spending the summer in the Kentucky moun¬ 
tains in an old house overlooking Mystery 
Valley. Some time ago we decided to follow 
the trail over the mountains until we reached 
the Kentucky River and the open road. Tory 
and I managed to lose the others, and as she 
has been very ill there was nothing to do but 
remain here. In the morning we will leave if 
you will kindly show us the way. To-night 
if you donT mind we can scarcely manage to 
depart immediately.^’ 

The young man whistled. 

^^Well, not unless you depart over my dead 
body. Tell me, please, did you have food 
with you? How have you managed? I feel 
somehow as if I had been an amazingly poor 
host, and Kentuckians from the blue grass 
portion of the state pride themselves upon 
their hospitahty.” 

^^Oh, we have survived, but we did not have 
supplies with us! lam afraid you will find we 
have eaten everything you left behind.” 

^‘1 didn’t leave scarcely anything, but don’t 


48 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


trouble. I am having some food sent up the 
mountain to-morrow. We got half way up 
and when darkness fell my guide and mule 
declined to go farther. I must have had a 
premonition, I was so determined to reach my 
own cabin to-night, so I have been hiking 
through the woods in the moonlight.^^ 

The young man unstrapped a knapsack 
from his shoulder. 

am not entirely unprovided for as it is. 
Aren’t you both hungry? I am starving. 
Don’t you think we might have a feast? I 
know it may seem a little informal, but then 
our meeting in this fashion isn’t exactly formal, 
now is it?” 

The two girls laughed. 

^^It is a brilliant idea!” Tory answered, 
have been ill and did not dream how hungry 
I realty was until this instant.” 

Stooping, she recklessly flung half a basket 
of chips upon the smoldering fire. 

Standing close beside each other she ob¬ 
served that the owner of the cabin who had 
introduced himself as Tom Courtenay was 
half a head taller than Dorothy and dark as 
she was fair. He had brilliant eyes with an 
irrepressible gleam of humor in them and 
strong white teeth. 


CHAPTER IV 


A SEPTEMBER DAY 

REALLY do believe that this is the 
I best possible plan under the circum- 
stances, Dorothy/^ 

Tory Drew spoke slowly and lazily and in a 
tone suggesting a pleasant physical content. 

She and Dorothy McClain were seated upon 
a blanket spread out on the ground. The 
warm yeUow early September sun was pouring 
down upon them. Behind them the cabin 
door and windows stood wide open, a breeze 
stirred overhead. 

Dorothy did not appear so entirely serene 
and at ease. 

suppose you and Mr. Courtenay know 
best, Tory,’’ she laughed as if a little doubtful. 
^^You were so sure that this was one of those 
occasions when one simply had to go ahead. 
Certainly you are improving. I never saw 
such a change in any one in a few days. Is it 
because you are enjoying other society rather 
than mine? Of course Mr. Courtenay is a 
nice fellow and he is doing everything in his 

( 49 ) 


4 


50 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


power to make this wilderness agreeable. 
You get on swimmingly together.’^ 

Tory^s answering laughter rang out over 
the cleared spaces and attracted the attention 
of the solitary other figure in the landscape, 
who was on his way to the creek with a water 
bucket over one arm and his dog close at his 
heels. 

He stopped, put down his bucket and gave a 
Scout signal. 

Both girls waved in response and went on 
with their own conversation. 

^^You are too absurd, Dorothy McClain, 
and not a bit fair! Of course I am better. 
Aren^t we both relieved from the uncertainty 
of not knowing whether we were to remain an 
hour or a day or the rest of our natural lives, 
long or short, upon this mountain top? If I 
did appear too ill to know what was happening, 
I was only now and then so completely un¬ 
conscious that I failed to have a vague sense 
of our predicament. Can^t you realize how 
deeply I was troubled seeing all you were 
forced to do and I unable to help? I am de¬ 
lighted that Tom Courtenay now insists on 
doing most of the strenuous things. He has 
had a difficult time persuading you to allow 
him, and in fact has not persuaded you, but 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


51 


has gone ahead without your consent. Don^t 
you think we might agree, Dorothy, to call 
one another by our first names? Mr. Court¬ 
enay suggested I propose the idea to you. He 
has been a good deal spoiled by girls and does 
not understand your manner toward him.^^ 

^^My manner toward him!’’ Dorothy 
changed color. '^What do you mean, Tory? 
I am sure I do not treat him any differently 
from other boys I have known! With six 
brothers and their friends I have had a good 
deal of experience. Don’t I behave as though 
I appreciated his kindness? Really he has 
been most considerate in a difficult situation. 
Worse than if we had been left at his door¬ 
step, don’t you think, to discover two maidens 
actually inside one’s house, leaving the door¬ 
step to the owner of the cabin?” 

Tory stretched out on the ground, crossing 
her arms under her head and gazing quizzically 
at her companion beneath her dark lashes. 

Dorothy dear, you are one of the most 
ingenuous persons in the world! Now please 
don’t be angry, I don’t know why it seems to 
annoy people to call them ingenuous. What 
amuses me is that you do treat Tom Courtenay 
exactly as you do other boys and he is puzzled 
and interested and a little annoyed. From 


5^ 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


what he has told us don^t you appreciate that 
he is a spoiled and only son and that his family 
has a lot of money? Yes, I know he has a 
small sister, but she is ever so much younger. 
Besides, Tom Courtenay is not a boy, he is 
seventeen and has had many more adventures 
than the other boys we have known. Other¬ 
wise he would not have known how to accept 
the present situation so gracefully. Let us not 
discuss him any more, since here he comes!’' 

Tory was mistaken. The young man went 
first to the cabin and returned with a tray 
bearing a jug and three tin cups. 

'^You did not know I was a magician, did 
you, and could produce lemonade in the Ken¬ 
tucky wilderness even as the Indian fakirs 
make lemon trees grow out of the dust before 
your wondering eyes? I am sorry the service 
is so poor. Next time I am at home I shall 
take lessons from George Washington Smith, 
our colored butler. He has lived with my 
parents longer than I have and is much more 
important to their comfort.” 

He flung himself down on the ground near 
the two girls. 

''Oh, you need not apologize. Neither 
Tory nor I are accustomed to being waited 
upon to any great extent. Certainly I am 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


53 


not! I am afraid you would be shocked if you 
could see the helter-skelter fashion in which 
we live at home. What do you think of a 
household where there are five boys and one 
man and an insignificant girl and only a single 
servant to look after us? She is not a servant 
exactly, but a friend and housekeeper,” Dor¬ 
othy McClain remarked. She spoke more 
abruptly than was usual with her. ^^Tory 
Drew, as you may have observed without my 
assistance, has led a different life. She is our 
Cosmopolitan Girl Scout and traveled over 
Europe with her father before she came to live 
in the small town of Westhaven, Connecticut. 
You disUked Westhaven at first, Tory, donT 
pretend otherwise! Some day you may have 
to allow my country doctor father to thank 
you for rescuing us, Mr. Courtenay, but I 
shanT ask you to come to Westhaven, you 
would be dreadfully bored by our New Eng¬ 
land village.” 

Would I?” Tom Courtenay answered. 
^^Do you know it never occurred to me. Miss 
McClain, to think that I like or dislike people 
according to the fashion in which they live? 
I had hoped you would ask me to your house 
some day, say when I was in New York City 
and could come to Westhaven for over night 


54 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


and not be a nuisance for any length of time. 
I particularly would like to know your country 
doctor father. He seems to be the type of 
man I happen most to admire. Sorry you let 
me know you did not want me, because I might 
have appeared some day at your door without 
an invitation. What is that time-honored 
phrase, ^forewarned is forearmed 

Tom Courtenay’s tone of voice and manner 
were courteous and half humorous, neverthe¬ 
less, Dorothy found herself blushing furiously. 
She experienced an awkwardness and an em¬ 
barrassment to which she was almost wholly 
unaccustomed. Strange the effect she and her 
new acquaintance had upon each other! 
Almost everything they said or did managed 
to develop a misunderstanding. 

You know I should be happy to have you 
come to see us at any time you hke, if for no 
other reason than because Tory and I have 
occupied your house for ten days without the 
shadow of an invitation. I did not intend to 
suggest you were a snob. You are not a snob, 
whatever else you may be.” 

Dorothy’s speech was apologetic and at the 
same time so militant that Tom Courtenay 
smiled and held out his hand. 

^^Do shake hands. I know you did not 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


55 


intend what I made a pretense of believing. 
Perhaps I was trying to work myself up to the 
point of thinking so. And whatever I am or 
may be in the future, to quote your own words, 
I do want to play fair with you/’ 

Tom Courtenay had the charm of manner 
that most girls yield to at once, there was 
something in it wholly flattering, as if for the 
time being he was thinking and caring for no 
one else. 

His effect upon Dorothy McClain was not 
the accustomed one. 

^'Nonsense! Why should you want to play 
fair with me rather than with anyone else? 
Playing fair means being fair to everybody in 
the world alike or else it does not count for 
much. I do not think you a snob, but you are 
spoiled, and my family would bore you after a 
little even if you possess such good manners 
that you might be able to conceal the fact. 

^^Good gracious, Dorothy,” Tory inter¬ 
rupted, “don’t start another argument! Are 
we to call one another by our first names? 
I suppose three days is not a long acquaint¬ 
ance, but think of how much we have seen of 
each other. WTiy I have known people for 
months and spent not a third of the amount 
of time in their society.” 


56 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Tom Courtenay shook his head. 

‘^Miss Drew or Tory, whichever name I 
am to be permitted to use, don^t you go back 
upon me. 1^11 take myself off at once to my 
house in the trees. I had not planned to dis¬ 
appear before nightfall, but if you are as 
bored with my society as your last remark 
indicates- 

Tory sighed and changed her position. 

Don’t be tiresome, Tom, I decline to take 
your persiflage so seriously as Dorothy does. 
You can come to visit me at any time you 
wish in Westhaven. I am sure my aunt and 
uncle. Miss Victoria Fenton and Mr. Richard 
Fenton, will be most happy to welcome you. 
Then if Dorothy turns you down as com¬ 
pletely as you seem to expect, you can always 
make love to my Aunt Victoria. ' Hey nonny, 
hoh nonny, tell me how my lady fares?’ Isn’t 
it time we went in and prepared lunch? I am 
hungry these last few days. Thank fortune 
and Tom Courtenay, Dorothy McClain, that 
we have something to eat besides what you 
had to find and prepare. Our families, Tom, 
must have received the telegrams yesterday 
telling them that we were safe on the tip of 
Firescald Mountain, don’t you think? Let 
me see: Your man came up the mountain the 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


57 


morning following your unceremonious arrival 
at your own cabin in the middle of the night. 
He must have required a part of a day and 
most of the night to return down the hill to 
the nearest town where there is a telegraph 
station. A few more hours and our telegrams 
reached home. I wish I felt as convinced 
that Miss Frean, our Scout Captain, the Girl 
Scouts and Dorothy’s brother, Donald, have 
been able to learn of our whereabouts. I 
have a mental picture of them wandering 
hopelessly over this old mountain with no 
clue to point the way and little hope now of 
ever discovering their lost sheep.” 

^^Yes, I appreciate that side of the situ¬ 
ation,” Tom Courtenay returned, serious now, 
with the mockery gone from his manner. 
“I considered that very point when we de¬ 
cided upon our scheme of action. I gave 
Jenkins instructions to get in touch with every 
village in the vicinity of Firescald Mountain 
and the Kentucky River. He was to adver¬ 
tise in the small town papers that the two 
Girl Scouts lost upon Firescald Mountain were 
safe. One of your party must have gone to 
the nearby mountain towns to ask for aid. 
I have an idea that they must have telegraphed 
to your people also after you had been lost 


58 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


several days. They would ask if they heard 
from you, directly or indirectly, to get in 
touch with them. Of course I could have 
managed more quickly, I suppose, had I gone 
down the trail instead of Jenkins. Still, I 
could not reach the conclusion that he would 
make as good a chaperon as I have made. I 
was not going to leave you two girls alone and 
unprotected again in this mountain, not by a 
long shot! Yes, I realize. Miss McClain, 
that you managed perfectly well without me 
before my arrival and so could have managed 
a second time. I was selfishly remembering 
that I should have been anxious, as I know 
these hills better than you. You are not well 
enough, Tory, to make the trip down the 
mountain. You will be stronger, I hope, 
when old Jenkins returns with a pair of the 
mountain horses. Then you can ride part 
of the way. Time enough to say farewell to 
the little cabin on Firescald Mountain and 
our solitude not—^aux deux,’ but to our 
solitude ^aux trois.’ Hope my French is cor¬ 
rect. After all the years I have studied I 
might know more! If you girls are hungry 
wait until I call you. I’ll have lunch in a 
quarter of an hour.” 

Dorothy arose. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


59 


'‘No, you won't, Tom, or at least I insist 
upon helping. If you will undertake all the 
heavy work, Tory and I must do our share. 
Remember we have been trying to educate 
you into understanding the superior accom¬ 
plishments of the Girl Scouts over other girls. 
So you intend to call me Miss McClain and 
Tory Drew, Tory? I call that not playing 
fair with a vengeance." 

Dorothy lifted up her face toward the per¬ 
fect summer sky with clouds hke foaming 
white chariots riding across the blue horizon. 

"Won't you take us for a walk this after¬ 
noon along one of the trails you have talked 
about? Tory ought to test her strength, 
don't you think, before we start down the 
mountain?" she asked. 

Dorothy was now standing slim and straight 
as a boy with a fresh healthy color in her 
cheeks and all the weariness and gravity of a 
few days before vanished. Now that the 
anxiety and too strenuous labor had been 
lifted, she never had felt better. 

Tory Drew gazed at her admiringly. Then 
her glance wandered to their other com¬ 
panion and she smiled. He was now standing 
beside Dorothy, and was several inches taller. 
No matter how rough the clothes he might 


60 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


chance to be wearing Tom Courtenay could 
not avoid giving an impression of wealth and 
breeding. To-day he wore an old pair of riding 
trousers, a flannel shirt and golf stockings, 
yet no one could have doubted his distinguished 
ancestry. 

He liked Dorothy McClain more than either 
of them appreciated. She annoyed and sur¬ 
prised him by treating him as she would any 
one of her brothers^ friends who had chanced 
to do her a kindness. At the same time her 
straightforwardness interested and piqued 
him. Already he was determined that some 
day they should be better friends. 

Tory was left to loaf and enjoy the Septem¬ 
ber sunshine until she was summoned. After 
her companions^ departure she half closed her 
eyes. 

“Tom Courtenay has never known a girl 
before in his life who takes boys in the matter- 
of-fact fashion that Dorothy does. He will 
either like or dislike her very much. Funny 
old Dorothy, she is so absurd in thinking that 
he prefers me!’’ 

Tory closed her eyes altogether, loving the 
warmth of the September sunshine that 
stirred her with vague ambitions and dreams. 


CHAPTER V 


POINTS OF CONTACT 

AM off for the day to give you a rest 
I from my society. If I do not turn 
^ up by supper time don^t wait for me. 
You see, I am taking my day^s rations.^’ 

After breakfast on the following morning 
Tom Courtenay was engaged in packing a 
small knapsack that he carried strapped over 
his shoulders during his mountain tramps. 

The odors of the room were a combination 
of freshly fried bacon, coffee and toast and the 
cleaner fragrances of the mountain air, sweep¬ 
ing through the open doors and windows and 
stirring the dying embers of the fire. 

Dorothy McClain was clearing the table 
and Tory setting things to order in the big, 
simple room. There was no furniture save 
the cot and pine table and several chairs and 
a small mirror hung above a low shelf. The 
series of shelves were most important, since 
they held the few pieces of crockery and tin¬ 
ware necessary to a prolonged woodland 
existence. 


( 61 ) 


62 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


^^Oh, you need not depart upon your hike 
on our account/^ Tory returned teasingly. 

We shall miss your helpful presence. I know 
you have carried all the water necessary for 
the day and cut and brought in all the wood 
the cabin can conveniently contain, still there 
are other ways in which you might be useful 
in the course of the day. So please state 
plainly, even brutally, that you have stood 
about all you can endure of the presence of 
the two Girl Scouts who have taken possession 
of your house and home. Since either they 
or you must go, you prefer to strike out into 
the wilderness. You came to this cabin be¬ 
cause, according to your own statement, you 
had wearied of too much feminine companion¬ 
ship. And lo! look what fate has done to 
you! ^Out of the fr3dng pan into the fire^ is 
a statement of the situation, if not a poUte 
one.’^ 

Tom Courtenay laughed, but was not in 
the least embarrassed. 

Right you are, Tory! I never have seen 
so much of any two other girls in so brief an 
acquaintance in my life. I scarcely am in 
the habit of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner 
with them as soon as introductions are over. 
By the way, were we introduced? I remember 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


63 


some vague exchange of titles when Dorothy 
was trying to make up her mind whether to 
destroy me with my own rifle 

Dorothy flushed. 

Nonsense, I did not intend to shoot you. 
I was merely trying to guard Tory. But do 
hurry and be off. I know you want a day to 
yourself in the hills, and although Tory may 
protest at being left with no one except me, 
really we have a great deal to do and can 
manage much better if you are out of the way. 
Come back in time for supper, we shall look 
for you. You have eight hours before you 
and can surely return by six o^clock.” 

Tom Courtenay struck a tragic attitude. 

‘^No, I shall not return by six. In all 
probability I shall behave like Rip Van 
Winkle. Fact is, donT wait up for me. If 
I am late I shall go directly to bed in my 
house in the trees. See you first thing in the 
morning!^’ 

Fifteen minutes after, when Tom Courtenay 
had moved off along the mountain trail, both 
girls stood at the cabin door watching him 
until he disappeared. 

^‘Tom Courtenay is reaUy an extremely 
nice fellow,^’ Dorothy remarked judicially. 
^‘Of course he has traits of character I do not 


64 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


admire. He has a habit of flattering people 
and expects them to enjoy it and like him all 
the better. And he does not really mean 
what he says. I confess flattery annoys me, 
you seem not to mind, Tory.’’ 

Don’t I?” Tory laughed. ^^No, I suppose 
not. Truth is, Dorothy McClain, you are the 
exception, I am not. Most people like to be 
flattered. You will hke it yourself some day, 
whem it is skillfully administered. You are 
so sincere yourself that you naturally detest 
what seems to you to be insincerity. But I 
don’t think Tom Courtenay has been insin¬ 
cere with us. He has been a perfect trump! 
He has simply been used to fashionable society 
and is older and has more charming manners 
than the boys we are accustomed to know. 
He is joking a great part of the time and I 
like to repay him in his own coin.” 

Dorothy turned back into the room. 

^^Yes, Tory, I envy you the ability. What 
I really started out to say was this: Tom 
Courtenay realized that there must be things 
we have to attend to and that we could 
manage better if he were not near. So with¬ 
out even the slightest suggestion of his real 
reason, he has gone away and given us a free 
day. I really hope he will be back by night. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


65 


I suppose I am nervous about these mountain 
trails after our sad experience. Are you, 
Tory?’^ 

The other girl shook her head. 

don’t know. What I do know is that I 
never wish to see another laurel leaf or flower 
to the longest day I Hve. What is the task 
we have specially on hand that you and Tom 
Courtenay are so mysterious over? I should 
like to have gone on the all-day hike myself, 
only I was not invited. These September 
days are so glorious. Was I really ill a few 
days ago? I can’t believe it.” 

^^Well, Tory, I am glad you have so much 
energy. I hope Tom Courtenay did not 
guess what I have in mind. Has it occurred 
to you that, if we are to go down the hill 
in the next day or so and be reunited with 
the other girls and our Scout Captain, we 
should try and wash our clothes? Sorry to 
be so practical! I have of course washed a 
few pieces while you were ill, but now we must 
manufacture costumes and go down to the 
creek for a hard morning’s work.” 

At the sight of Tory’s face, Dorothy laughed 
gaily. 

You are horrified, Tory Drew. You have 
never dreamed of this particular occupation 


66 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


under pioneer conditions. Never mind, my 
dear, you are still a halfway invalid, so you 
may sit on the bank and offer advice. I don^t 
min d, really; it was rather fun the other day, 
only one is in danger of tumbling into the 
creek along with one’s laundry.” 

Tory wore her most reproachful air. 

‘^It is not kind of you, Dorothy, even to 
suggest that I would allow you to do my 
share of the work when I am perfectly well 
able to do it for myself. What do you sup¬ 
pose Memory Frean or my beloved Kara in 
far-off Europe would think if they knew the 
character you believe me to possess?” 

Tory followed the other girl and put an 
arm about her shoulders, attempting to give 
her a slight shake. She was not especially 
successful, as Dorothy was far stronger and 
taller nor had she recovered so fully as she 
believed. - 

“I have a picture I want to show you some 
day, Dorothy. I painted it when I was a 
small girl. My father and I were in beautiful 
France, in Brittany, I think. One day we 
had been out together for hours, father sketch¬ 
ing along the river bank. I remember I 
became tired playing and picked up some 
crayons and began sketching. I made a 


AND TOE OPEN ROAD 


67 


picture of half a dozen of the Breton peasant 
women washing their clothes in the river. 
Father was very proud of it and said it was 
the best thing I had ever done. I was only 
eight years old at the time. I trust I have 
improved as an artist since although I am by 
no means sure. Still, from that day to this 
it has been my secret ambition to wash my 
own clothes out of doors and in running 
water. Now you would try to remove the 
long-sought opportunity from me!’^ 

The two girls spent a happy, amusing morn¬ 
ing. In the afternoon they loafed and talked 
indoors while their clothes dried in the 
September sun. 

True, their Girl Scout unifonns were some¬ 
what worn and faded. ^^But they are fresher 
and certainly a good deal more respectable 
after our washing,’^ Tory announced when at 
five o^clock they dressed and sat waiting for 
Tom Courtenay^s return. 

He had announced that in all probability 
he would not return, nevertheless the girls 
both expected him. 

After preparing supper of bread and cheese 
and jam and tea they continued to wait. The 
days were becoming noticeably shorter and 
darkness soon closed in. Another half hour 


68 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


and still no human figure appeared within 
their range of vision. 

“Do you know, Tory/^ Dorothy began un¬ 
expectedly, letting her gaze shift from the 
outdoors to look more closely at her com¬ 
panion, “I shall never forget this past ten 
days. There have been difficult hours and 
yet I have the feeling I shall wish to return 
here some day, I cannot say when or why 
exactly. I feel more at home in this little 
cabin than I did during the summer in the 
great ‘House by the Granite Ledge^ that 
overlooked Mystery Valley.’^ 

Tory’s white, eager face mth its pointed 
chin and aureole of red-gold hair showed a 
wistful elf-like quality in the gathering dark¬ 
ness. 

“I am not so surprised, Dorothy. You 
have always loved the outdoors and have been 
more successful at all outdoor sports than the 
other Girl Scouts. Of late while I was ill 
you played another outdoor game, this time 
you faced reality. And you won your game 
against more difficult odds than most Girl 
Scouts ever know. Some of them may be 
even a little envious when they learn of our 
experience. Come, let us go in to supper. Our 
knight is true to his word and will not be seen 
again to-night.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


69 


When supper was over Tory confessed 
fatigue and curled up on her couch. 

Fearing she might be cold, Dorothy placed 
a log on the fire. The evenings were cold in 
spite of the midday warmth, and the fire in 
the cabin was never allowed to die out alto¬ 
gether. 

Restless, Dorothy wandered to the still open 
front door. She turned to discover whether 
Tory had observed her, but found Tory was 
alreadj^ asleep. 

A few moments Dorothy lingered. How 
familiar the landscape beyond the cabin door 
had become to her in this past ten days! In 
after years she would be more apt to recall 
the scene at night than during any hour of 
the day. During Tory^s illness and her own 
loneliness she made this pilgrimage nightly 
to gaze at the sky and at the black and 
mysterious circle of the outlying hills. How 
beautiful the scene had been each night when 
the stars or moon shone down through the 
blanket of the dark! 

Dorothy walked a few feet away from the 
cabin. 

To-night was more exquisite than any other. 

“Look how the floor of heaven is thick 
inlaid with patines of bright gold,” she quoted 


70 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


aloud, remembering the Scout Captain^s effort 
to teach her troop of Girl Scouts their early 
lessons in astronomy. 

Of late Dorothy had oftentimes regretted 
that she had not been a more devoted student. 
She now recognized the Pole Star above the 
Great Dipper and showing paler than the 
others. 

Dorothy wandered on. There was no 
intention in her movements that she had so 
far confessed to herself, yet she was really 
anxious to find out that Tom Courtenay had 
returned and would sleep near them in his 
house in the tree. 


CHAPTER VI 


FEAR AND RELIEF 



OM COURTENAY! Tom Courte¬ 
nay!’’ Dorothy called softly. 


She was standing under an im¬ 
mense oak tree looking up at what Tom 
Courtenay was pleased to call his house in the 
tree. In reality the house consisted of a 
platform of about eight feet in length, and 
five in width firmly fastened to the tree’s 
lower boughs and with a canvas cover 
stretched above. 

To-night one could see under the starlight 
that the platform was empty save for an army 
blanket tightly rolled and piled in one comer. 

Dorothy lingered. She was tom between 
her desire to be assured that Tom Courtenay 
was safe and her fear that Tory be not left 
alone in the cabin with the door unbarred 
even for a few moments. 

The night was singularly clear. The 
branches of the oak showed black between 
the shimmering silver of the leaves. 

Placing her fingers to her lips, Dorothy 


( 71 ) 


72 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


halloed again. She was almost as concerned 
as if her new acquaintance had been one of 
her twin brothers, Lance or Donald. She 
wished to know him safe in bed for the night 
before she could follow his example. 

A second time she received no answer, then 
slowly Dorothy turned to leave. Tory was 
not undressed and had not been sound asleep. 
If she awakened suddenly and found herself 
alone she would be frightened. But having 
gone only half a dozen yards, a familiar voice 
at some distance off broke into the Girl Scout 
hunting song. 

*‘Now the Four-way lodge is opened: 

Now the hunting winds are loose, 

Now the Smokes of Spring go up to clear the brain; 
Now the young men^s hearts are troubled 
For the whisper of the trues, 

Now the Red Gods make their medicine again.” 

Tom Courtenay was returning. His voice 
had sounded close, although so far neither one 
could see the other. 

Dorothy stood waiting. Immediately be¬ 
fore her was a square of light. Close to the 
path that led from the cabin to the house in 
the tree, low shrubbery formed a deep black 
border on either side, to which the stars to¬ 
night added a faint topmost layer of light. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


73 


At the moment Dorothy was not looking 
upward or downward but off in the direction 
from which the voice had sounded. 

A figure was breasting the hill. She could 
now see the outline of Tom Courtenay^s form, 
with his gun and day^s capture. 

^^Tom,’’ she called, ^Tt is I, Dorothy 
McClain, here waiting for you. What a 
wanderer to have stayed away so long! I 
am glad you are back at last. Well, good¬ 
night.’’ 

“Dorothy, wait please, I want to join you 
and walk to the cabin.” 

She remained still. The night was gentle 
and serene, the hill-top free from the night 
terrors that she had felt occasionally in the 
past. An hour after their surprising meeting 
Tom Courtenay’s presence had brought a 
comfortable sense of safety. 

Dorothy felt calm and quiet, nothing was 
farther from her thought or imagination at 
present than any possibility of approaching 
danger. Nevertheless, suddenly she felt her¬ 
self become curiously and unexpectedly cold. 
Her entire body stiffened, her breath came in 
short, painful gasps. She was not aware of 
any reason for this, yet irresistibly her eyes 
were drawn to the ground. 


74 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Within a few inches of her feet and lying 
across the small stretch of light was what 
appeared at the first glance to be the shorn 
hmb of a tree. Then unmistakably the black 
length moved and slowly uncoiled. 

Dorothy remained transfixed. She may have 

cried out her fear, but was not conscious of 

the fact. Most of us, brave or cowardly, 

have certain hidden nervous terrors. Dorothv 

%/ 

McClain had met all the demands of the past 
ten days, physical and spiritual, with fine, 
tempered bravery and good judgment. Now 
she was a stricken child. 

In the southwestern mountain ranges she 
knew there were certain varieties of poisonous 
snakes. Was it possible that to-night she 
could see the coral flecks in the stretched black 
skin of the reptile about to strike? 

Dorothy fell backward into the low shrub¬ 
bery, Tom Courtenay had shoved her aside 
with such compelling force. And she lay still 
with closed eyes, glad not to see, only to hear 
what was taking place. The butt of Tom 
Courtenay^s gun struck not once but half a 
dozen times. She had witnessed the first 
skilKul blow even before he attempted to 
thrust her out of danger. 

A moment later Dorothy arose. She was 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


75 


feeling a little stiff from her fall and ashamed 
of her cowardice. Ordinarily her training as 
a Girl Scout served her in emergencies. More¬ 
over, a girl with six brothers was supposed to 
be able to rise above the nervous timidities of 
other girls. 

I am sorry I was such a nuisance. I might 
have thought of something to do to save myself 
instead of being so utterly stupid and para¬ 
lyzed. Suppose we go on to the cabin. 
I think it has been a quarter of an hour since 
I left Tory alone and she may be alarmed. 
I am afraid my wish to know you were safe 
for the night led you into danger.^’ 

Dorothy tried to make her voice calm and 
cool as usual, but there was a slight nervous 
trembling she could not wholly conceal. 

Tom Courtenay sUpped his arm through 
hers, and Dorothy had the same sense of 
reassurance that Don^s strength now and then 
afforded her. 

hope you will come to Westhaven some 
day. I think you misunderstood me the other 
morning, but if we don^t ever see each other 
again, please don^t think Vll forget the little 
cabin and your kindness,’’ Dorothy murmured, 
embarrassed by her effort to say the conven¬ 
tionally correct thing under the circumstances. 


76 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Her mother had been dead a number of 
years, Dorothy had lived in a matter-of-fact 
and abrupt family of men. Her friends 
among the Girl Scouts had admired her 
straightforward directness. Not until her 
meeting with Tom Courtenay had she been 
ashamed of her lack of certain social graces. 

In the darkness Tom Courtenay smiled, 
appreciating her point of view. 

^^Are you under the impression that when 
you and Tory leave the cabin I shall stay on 
here alone and not know until some weeks or 
months later whether you are safe and with 
your friends? Try and be prepared for the 
worst, Dorothy! Whoever appears to act 
as your escort down the trail will be accom¬ 
panied by me. This may be more surprising, 
as soon as I meet your Scout Captain, Miss 
Frean, it is my firm determination to make 
her like me as much as possible and as soon as 
possible.’^ 

Glad of the fact that her companion did not 
discuss her terror of a few moments before, 
Dorothy interrupted: 

“ I am sure you need not be troubled. Miss 
Frean is sure to like you immediately. Most 
people do, don’t they?” 

“A compliment from Dorothy McClain any 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


77 


fellow might be proud to receive, I don^t 
believe she ever flatters to attain her own 
end,^^ Tom Courtenay was thinking as he 
answered: ^^Well, I hope in this case you are 
a prophet, Dorothy, but you don^t yet know 
why I wish to woo and win your Scout Cap¬ 
tain. You and Tory must agree to help me. 
Remember, you told me that your Patrol of 
Girl Scouts with your Captain and your 
brother Donald had started out from Mystery 
Valley intending to travel along the Ken¬ 
tucky River and then into the blue-grass 
country? 

Dorothy laughed. 

certainly do remember. We expected to 
be only a few days in the mountains. In fact, 
our slogan was, Dh, for the lure of the open 
road.’ Tory and I have upset things dread¬ 
fully. I have often wondered in this past ten 
days if the others have gone on with our 
original plan. I presume they have been 
waiting at one of the little towns at the foot 
of the mountain for news of one kind or an¬ 
other. Of course, I realize neither Miss Frean 
nor my brother Donald, will give up the 
search until we are discovered, dead or alive, 
as the advertisements for the lost read. What 
is it you need Tory and me to help you 


78 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


bring to pass? We should be grateful for a 
chance. At present all the gratitude is on 
our side.’’ 

^^It is? Oh, well, I am not so sure! At 
present I will let you think so if this will in¬ 
fluence you. I have told you my home was 
near Lexington and in the very heart of the 
blue-grass country. I want you and Tory 
and Miss Frean and your brother and friends 
to make us a visit before you leave the state. 
Don’t refuse and say there are too many of 
you and that you do not know my mother and 
father. I can answer any objection. Our 
house is very large; I don’t remember how 
many bedrooms it contains. As for not 
knowing my father and mother, you can make 
their acquaintance in a very few moments. 
There is only one other member of the family, 
my small sister Patricia, known as Pat, not 
only because the name is easier to say, but 
because it better fits the ^enfant terrible.’ As 
soon as we reach civilization I intend to tele¬ 
graph mother the entire story of my discovery 
of two babes, not in the woods, but in my own 
cabin, and all that followed. Mother will 
write your Scout Captain at once.” 

Dorothy shook her head. 

You talk like a prince in a fairy story, Tom 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


79 


Courtenay. Of course we must never con¬ 
sider making you a visit. But one thing you 
can count upon, Tory and I long to meet your 
family and see your home. Tory has traveled 
a great deal. A thousand-acre farm in the 
blue-grass region of Kentucky may not seem 
extraordinary to her, but it will be an earthly 
fairyland to me. I told you I never had been 
outside of the small town of Westhaven, except 
for a few trips to New York City, until this 
summer in Kentucky. You know, we are 
intending to pass through Lexington if our 
journey along the open road has not been 
abandoned. So, Tom, we can manage to see 
you in Lexington for an hour or so without 
again taking possession of another of your 
homes. By the way, how did you chance to 
own this small cabin in the heart of nowhere? 

They were walking slowly and talking with 
such interest that they had not looked toward 
the cabin, now only a few yards away. 

^^Oh, if you are coming to Lexington I shall 
not trouble over the future. Mother will 
arrange matters, she generally accomplishes 
what she wants to accomplish.’^ 

^^You mean what her son wants,” Dorothy 
returned. wonder if his desires are always 
so prodigal—ten unknown visitors at one fell 



80 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


swoop! ’’ The intonation of her voice changed. 
^^Do I sound as if I were teasing? I am envy¬ 
ing you. My mother has been dead a good 
many years. Look! What has happened? 
The cabin is blazing with hghts. And don’t 
you hear voices? WTiat has—what can have 
occurred to Tory!” 

Before Tom Courtenay could reply Dorothy 
had escaped and was running toward the open 
cabin door. 

She was startled but not frightened. Al¬ 
most at once she had recognized the voices and 
guessed. 

For her own pleasure and satisfaction she 
remained an instant gazing into the cabin with¬ 
out announcing her presence. 

With reckless extravagance Tory Drew had 
lighted every candle the cabin contained. In 
spite of the warmth of the night she had piled 
the fire with fresh logs. Tory herseK, as if she 
were a little girl, was seated in her Scout Cap¬ 
tain’s lap, her arms about her neck. 

Standing beside them Dorothy saw her own 
brother, Donald, and Ann Craig, the young 
girl who had lately joined their Troop of Girl 
Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing. 

The sight of her brother proved too much 
for Dorothy’s restraint. An instant after she 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


81 


was in his arms and weeping upon his 
shoulder. 

^^Cheero, Dorothy, who ever heard of your 
behaving like this? I don^t think I have seen 
you cry since you were a tiny shaver. And 
things are all 0. K. now. Miss Frean and I 
have found you and Tory says you have been 
a brick, a whole wagon load of bricks in fact. 
Besides, to a fellow who has| slept out of doors 
every night since you and Tory gave us the 
shake it appears that you have been living in 
comfort.’’ Donald’s voice was shghtly husky 
notwithstanding his determined effort toward 
cheerfulness. 

^^Have you been much frightened about us, 
Memory Frean?” Tory inquired. “Did you 
believe you would ever, ever find us? ” 

The Scout Captain did not reply at once, 
then she answered gravely: 

“Yes, Tory, I did think we would find you. 
Donald and Ann Craig and I, perhaps for 
different reasons, never lost our faith. There 
were hours when we were discouraged and 
pretty miserable. Goodness knows how many 
weary miles we have tramped and how many 
people we have engaged to help us^^ Ann 
always insisted that you could keep alive for 
weeks out of doors at this time of the year. 


82 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


As Donald says, however, we never expected 
to find you living in such state. Where is 
Mr. Courtenay? The man he sent down the 
mountain with the news of you came directly 
to the little town where the Girl Scouts were 
waiting. Donald and Ann and I were on the 
mountain, but they found us in a few hours.’^ 

Dorothy released herself from her brother's 
clasp. Donald and Miss Frean both showed 
the effect of the strain of the past ten days 
even more than she and Tory. Ann Craig 
was strong and radiant as ever, miles and 
miles of mountain chmbing were what she 
required for her health and happiness. 

‘^Tom Courtenay was with me only a mo¬ 
ment ago. I am afraid I ran away and left 
him when I saw the fights in the cabin. He 
has been as nice as possible and Tory and I 
know we have bored him. He told us he 
came up on the mountain to escape girls. 

Dorothy returned to the door and looked 
out. Tom Courtenay had vanished. 



CHAPTER VII 


THE KENTUCKY RIVER 

T he smaU flat-bottom river steamboat 
moved slowly with the stream. 

The entire upper deck was almost 
wholly given over to a group of young girls 
in Scout uniforms, to an older woman who 
obviously was their Scout Captain and to two 
young men who were their companions. 

It was a lazy Indian summer day with a 
blue haze over the crests of the Cumberland 
Mountains. The hills no longer were so high 
and rugged; now along the gentler slopes of 
land, com and tobacco fields warned of ap¬ 
proaching changes in the landscape. The 
river itself was narrow and deep. 

One of the young girls stood apart from the 
others and leaning over the railing was wist/- 
fully regarding the passing scenery. The girl 
was Ann Craig from Mystery Valley, the latest 
member of the troop of “Girl Scouts of the 
Eaglets Wing.” 

Early in the summer a Patrol of Girl Scouts 
with their leader from the little town of 

( 83 ) 


84 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


Westhaven, Connecticut, decided to spend 
their holiday in a little known neighborhood 
of the Kentucky Mountains.* 

Ann had come up from the valley to the 
House by the Granite Ledge with the hope 
that she might make new friends and learn 
more of the outside world. At this instant 
and with her twofold wish accomplished, she 
was returning home with her Girl Scout 
Patrol, she felt an intense longing to slip away 
and hide once more among her hills. 

Her homesickness, however, became less 
keen as she listened to the conversation now 
taking place among her new friends and fellow 
travelers. 

do not believe you had such an uncom¬ 
fortable time waiting for Dorothy and me to 
be returned to you like articles from the ^lost 
and found ^ department, as we imagined,^' 
Tory Drew announced. At the same time 
she slipped her hand inside her Scout Cap¬ 
tain’s with a gesture of affection. 

Margaret Hale, one of the other Girl Scouts, 
shook her head reproachfully. 

'^Tory Drew, you jest upon most subjects! 
You must not make a speech like your last 
one even in fun. Because you and Dorothy 


* See “Girl Scouts in Mystery Valley.” 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


85 


discovered us living in one of the old-time 
watering places in the mountains is no reason 
to believe we were not uneasy about you 
every hour from the moment you disappeared. 
As a matter of fact, every one of us searched 
for you day and night for the first forty- 
eight hours. Afterwards Miss Frean declared 
that we should all end in being lost. She 
insisted that we must remain in one place 
until you were found or until we had given 
up hope, did you not. Miss Frean? We were 
fortunate to find a country hotel at the end 
of a mountain trail. There we stayed while 
Miss Frean, Donald McClain and Ann Craig, 
with a dozen guides, scoured the mountain. 
Never in my life have I spent ten days of 
such length and dreariness! Never w’ill I 
forget our first sight of you when you appeared 
out of the wilderness! Most of us had been 
up since dawn watching and waiting. We 
knew you had been discovered in a hut on 
Firescald Mountain, but had no way of guess¬ 
ing how long it would take Miss Frean, 
Donald, Ann Craig and the guides to reach 
you. Remember, we were under the im¬ 
pression that you and Dorothy would be near 
starvation in spite of the berries and wild 
game in the hills.” 


86 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Tory leaned forward. 

Her Scout hat was lying in her lap and the 
wind from the river blew her hair in a bright 
aureole about her white, eager face. 

Sorry, Margaret, I wo.s joking. Dorothy 
and I realized, even when things were at the 
w^orst with us, that we were probably less 
unhappy than the rest of you. After Tom 
Courtenay arrived to take possession of his 
cabin and we turned him out, I used to think 
we were hke Adam with two Eves.” 

The group about her laughed and Tory 
flushed slightly as the Scout Captain shook 
her head. 

^'Oh, Tory, we were not unhappy all of the 
time,” Teresa Peterson murmured. hon¬ 
estly tried to be, but now and then when 
there were country dances and we were in¬ 
vited I forgot all about you and Dorothy. 
Still, the dances were a little disappointing. 
I hope we will be invited to a few parties when 
we arrive in Lexington. Do you think we 
will, Mr. Courtenay?” 

Teresa Peterson was sitting in a low chair 
near the young man to whom she had spoken. 
Unlike the other girls in her Scout Patrol, 
she was not a general favorite among them. 
Nevertheless, no one could deny her excep- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


87 


tional prettiness; her hair soft and dusky, 
curling in little tendrils about her low fore¬ 
head, her eyes like velvet and her cheeks 
warmly colored. Her mother was an Italian 
and Teresa was less interested in the outdoor 
world than her companions. She was frank 
in the expression of her tastes and had not 
enjoyed the past summer in the mountains. 
Beauty and warmth and ease and agreeable 
and friendly people who did not ask too much 
of one represented her ideal. 

At this moment Dorothy McClain, who was 
as imlike Teresa as one girl could possibly be 
unlike another, frowned and laughed. 

^^You are always more truthful than you 
are polite, my dear. How is anyone to know 
what friends we may make in our Girl Scout 
journey along the ^Open Road 7’’ 

She glanced down where the small waves 
were lapping against the sides of the boat. 

^^^The Open Road!’ So far we have 
ascended and descended narrow mountain 
trails and are continuing our travels on a 
Kentucky River steamboat. One plans and 
fate disarranges. Tory and I feel responsible 
for having delayed the expedition so long, but 
surely we shall reach the open road in a few 
days and carry out our original plan!” 


88 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Joan Peters covered her lips with a slender 
brown hand to conceal a comfortable yawn. 

^^Now that we are no longer worried over 
you and Tory, Dorothy, I confess I do not 
object to this few days of river travel. In 
. fact, I am enjoying immensely these quiet, 
restful hours of loafing and conversation. 
And I never beheld more picturesque, beau¬ 
tiful scenery! We shall not soon forget these 
past weeks. After all, we had a strenuous 
summer in our house overlooking Mystery 
Valley. I for one am glad of the break before 
we start out on foot along the broad highway 
to see what one is told the Kentuckians call 
^God^s country 

Fifteen years old, Joan Peters appeared 
older. She had light brown hair, eyes of 
almost the same shade and a fair, pale skin. 
Her features were regular and ordinarily she 
was reserved, even cold in her manner. The 
warmth of the September day, the gold and 
bronze and crimson in the Indian summer 
landscape were affording her a gentle, happy 
languor such as she seldom experienced. 

The girl beside her continued as if she were 
finishing Joanns speech. 

love the nights we spend in the little 
Kentucky towns along our way! Even now 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


89 


I can hear the darkies singing the old river 
songs in the late twilights when our boat lands. 
My ambition is different from Teresa^s; I 
want to be allowed to see one of the dances 
given by the colored people. I wonder if 
they dance as we do or if they dance the old 
Southern dances or those that go back to 
their African days. I am so interested in 
folk dancing and one sees so little that is 
original in this country. Why should we not 
have our own folk dances like other countries?^^ 

Smaller than her present Girl Scout com¬ 
panions, Evan Phillips^ figure revealed unusual 
strength and grace. She had been studying 
dancing since she was five or six years old. 
Her mother was a teacher of dancing and 
Evan hoped one day to become a professional 
dancer. She had short light hair and eyes of 
a beautiful transparent blue. The lower part 
of her face was surprising, square with a 
strong mouth and chin. 

Louise Miller had not been listening to the 
little speeches flying above her head as lightly 
as the clouds moved overhead in the serene 
blue of the sky. 

In the Patrol of Girl Scouts who were mem¬ 
bers of the Eaglets Wing Troop, Louise was 
less handsome, less vivacious than the others. 


90 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Her manner was slow and sometimes awkward 
and self-conscious. Only to the friends who 
knew her intimately was she able to reveal 
her real nature. She and Dorothy McClain 
had been devoted to each other since child¬ 
hood. Her own family were not sympathetic 
with her moods or interests and Louise had 
found special solace among the Girl Scouts. 
Her only outward claims to beauty lay in the 
splendid mass of her copper colored hair with 
its red and brown shades and in her queer 
light gray eyes with the thick, short, dark 
lashes. She held an open book in her lap. 

^^\\Tien we reach the ^Open Road^ w^ill our 
walking tour lead us over any of the old trails 
of the famous Wilderness Road? I have been 
reading that in 1775 Daniel Boone with thirty 
axmen cut a trail known as ^Boone^s Path.^ 
It was afterwards called the ^Wilderness Road' 
and reached from Salisbury, N. C., to Boones- 
borough, Ky. It would be interesting to 
travel the old highways." 

Edith Linder shook her head. 

Don't be so learned, Louise. I never 
heard of the ^Wilderness Road.' And Daniel 
Boone has seemed about as real to me as the 
pictures of the woodmen in my story of ^Little 
Red Riding Hood.' Until we- arrived in 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


91 


Kentucky this summer, Daniel Boone was a 
mythical figure in a coonskin cap, carr 3 fing a 
gun. One of my brothers owned an old school 
book with Daniel Boone^s picture and the life 
of the great pioneer. To my shame I never 
read the story. This was before I became a 
member of the Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing 
troop.” 

The girl spoke jestingly; nevertheless, most 
of her companions reaUzed the truth in her 
jesting. Edith Linder was less well educated 
than her group of friends. Her father had 
been a small farmer, who having failed as a 
farmer was now working in a factory in the 
conservative little town of Westhaven, Conn. 
Edith had not joined her present Patrol of 
Girl Scouts without opposition. Yet to-day 
she wore the badge of the Golden Eaglet, the 
highest symbol awarded to a Girl Scout. 

The Scout Captain, Memory Frean, had not 
spoken during the past ten minutes. She 
turned to the girl who had last addressed a 
question to her. 

“No, I do not believe we shall touch the 
old 'Wilderness Road.’ Tom Courtenay will 
know. We travel by boat until we reach High 
Bridge. From there we go on foot or by 
wagon to Frankfort and Lexington. I doubt 


92 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


if Tory and Dorothy can be trusted to walk 
any great part of the way. They may lose 
themselves in the blue-grass as successfully as 
they did in the mountains.’^ 

Until this instant no masculine voice had 
entered the running fire of conversation. 

Tom Ck)urtenay had been listening and 
awaiting an opportunity to speak. 

He turned now to Teresa Peterson. 

‘^Did you not ask me some time ago if I 
thought you would meet other Girl Scouts in 
the blue-grass and be invited to their parties? 
I am under the impression that Dorothy 
McClain interrupted and gave me no chance 
to answer. Do you dream for a moment I 
have given up my hope of having you for a 
visit? My mother^s gifts of persuasion are 
greater than mine. We shall give as many 
dances as you hke, one each night if you 
wish.’’ 

He looked toward Miss Frean, who was still 
sitting with her hand in Tory Drew’s and her 
eyes on the opposite shore. 

^^You won’t be obdurate forever, Miss 
Frean? Surely you and your Patrol of Girl 
Scouts will permit us to show you what Ken¬ 
tucky hospitality can mean. I have already 
written my mother.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


93 


Rising, Tom Courtenay walked over and 
stood above the woman and girl. 

Tory laughed up at him, her eyes darkening 
and her cheeks flushing. 

^^You have shown us the hospitality of the 
hills in your cabin. I do not mean to pretend 
I do not wish to taste the hospitality of the 
blue-grass. 

At this instant the movement of the steam¬ 
boat grew noticeably slower. 

On the west side of the river was a small 
cluster of houses and a steamboat landing. 

A group of negroes and white men stood 
W'aiting. 

Tory Drew, Dorothy McClain and Tom 
Courtenay crossed over to the ship^s raihng. 

Donald McClain joined Ann Craig. 

Still dreaming of your beloved hills, Ann? 
What in the world is happening? See, over 
there, I mean.^^ 

Donald pointed toward the shore. 


CHAPTER VIII 


A STRANGE SPECTACLE 

T he steamboat tied up at the landing. 
An hour or more would elapse before 
in leisurely fashion it moved on again. 
No one troubled concerning the length of time 
the boat waited; in fact, time appeared the 
least important consideration in Kentucky 
River travel. 

‘^Suppose we go ashore, Ann, and see what 
is going on?^^ Donald McClain suggested. 
“The crowd of loafers does not seem to be at 
the river^s edge to-day. See, they are up at 
the top of the hill in a cleared space and stand¬ 
ing in a circle! Wonder if there is a one-horse 
circus in town?’^ 

When Ann and Donald received permission 
to go ashore they discovered the entire party 
intended following their example. 

It was more interesting and restful ashore. 
After several hours the small boat seemed 
cramped, and the towns themselves as well as 
their inhabitants were unique. 

( 94 ) 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


95 


Twin Mules was the extraordinary title of 
the present village. 

For a few moments the Girl Scouts, their 
Captain and the two boys lingered near the 
water. 

The negroes were loading the boat with 
freight. 

It was just before noon and the hottest hour 
of the day. 

The heat and the odors of over-ripe vegeta¬ 
tion, the perspiring bodies of the shoremen 
finally drew them away. 

Walking up the slanting bank of sand and 
cobblestones, they reached a wooden side¬ 
walk. This street seemed to be the main one 
in the town of ^^Twin Mules.It continued 
to meander up a slight incline. 

The lower portion near the water was what 
is known in the south as “Shantytown. 
Here the colored people hved. Their houses 
were small, of two and three room cabins with 
broken places in the roofs and walls. In the 
windows were many splintered glass panes 
and in almost every house the front door stood 
wide open. The little colored pickaninnies 
were basking in the sunshine. An occasional 
chicken flew over them and entered a cabin, 
only to stroll calmly out again. A lean, 


m 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


suspicious dog prowled about in nearly every 
yard. In tin cans standing in windows, door¬ 
ways and yards red geraniums were blooming 
profusely. Morning-glory vines and gourd 
vines intertwined over the fronts of the houses 
and small porches. Now and then a Virginia 
creeper gorgeous in flame-colored blossoms of 
a second blooming covered an old tree stump 
or a wooden lattice. 

The New England Girl Scouts were fasci¬ 
nated. The environment and the atmosphere 
of the tiny river towm were unlike anything 
they had seen. 

Tory Drew, the artist among them, felt her 
pulses throbbing with delight. 

^^Do you know, Tom Courtenay, I traveled 
with my father in Spain and in southern 
France when I was a little girl, yet I never saw 
a town more full of color and warmth than this 
one. I wish I had time to do some sketching.’^ 

Tom Courtenay smiled indulgently. 

I am afraid I am not so impressed, I am too 
accustomed to the small towns in Kentucky. 
I have never been to Europe. What interests 
me is the crowd on that vacant lot. Donald 
and Ann Craig seem determined to investigate, 
suppose you and Dorothy and I follow. Per¬ 
haps there is an outdoor camp meeting.’’ 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


97 


Tom Courtenay turned to Miss Frean. 

Won’t you come with us? There is plenty 
of time, as we need not go back on the boat 
until she blows off steam. If you are seeking 
local color in Tmn Mules we shall find it over 
there. Looks like either a circus or an out¬ 
door meeting of some kind.” 

The scene certainly was not a camp meeting. 
As the little crowd of travelers drew nearer 
they could hear the twanging of a banjo and 
the laughing and clapping of hands. 

The crowd parted politely to allow the new¬ 
comers place inside the circle. Beyond the 
crowd stood a large canvas-covered wagon. 
The canvas was not white or dust colored but 
of a bright gold and upon it painted in large 
letters that could be read a dozen yards away, 
The World’s Famous One Ring Circus. The 
Dollivers.” 

There was no circus tent, but a rope about 
an enclosure kept the spectators away from 
the performers. 

At this instant a figure was circling about 
the ring on a broad bare-back horse. She 
looked hke a girl of about fourteen. A tall 
thin man in a top hat mounted on a soap box 
held forth a paper hoop, which the rider 
leaped through. The crowd cheered. 


98 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


A few moments later the tall man led the 
horse away. 

The young girl did not leave the circle. A 
few moments after she was joined by a boy 
who must have been a year or more older. 
The banjo player twanged louder than before. 
The boy was dressed as a clown. 

The two young people began to dance. 

^^That girl looks tired to death, I am sorry 
for her. What a life to have to entertain a 
crowd like this!^^ Dorothy McClain mur¬ 
mured. 

Tory pressed forward with Evan Phillips 
close beside her. The dancing was remark¬ 
able. It was not easily described, as some¬ 
times the steps and movements were the 
modern jazz and then they became slow and 
stately. 

The sun shone hotter and the dust 
thickened. 

The Scout Captain became uncomfortable. 
She never before had beheld such a strange 
spectacle, the mixed crown of colored people 
and country people and townspeople, the 
almost tropical heat of the September day, 
the delicate girl and sturdy boy dancing so 
furiously, almost frantically to keep the crowd 
amused. If only she were able to rescue the 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


99 


girl from her present mode of life! In the 
past two years through her interest and work 
among the Girl Scouts in Westhaven, Memory 
Frean had grown to have a peculiar feeling for 
young girls. She had remained unmarried 
and for this reason felt the impulse to mother 
many girls. 

She joined Tory and Evan Phillips, wonder¬ 
ing if anyone else noticed what she observed. 
The girl who was dancing was no longer keep¬ 
ing time, her feet dragged, she was swaying 
uncertainly. The boy who was her companion 
was beginning to be alarmed, and his own pace 
grew slower. Through his white mask he 
also appeared nervous and uncertain. 

The crowd was growing sympathetic and 
troubled. They were kindly people. Evi¬ 
dently it was some one’s duty to stop the 
dancing, but who would shoulder the respon¬ 
sibility? 

With this intention the Scout Captain 
moved up closer to the rope with the two 
Girl Scouts beside her in their Scout uniforms, 
Tory Drew and Evan Phillips. It became 
unnecessary, however, for her to speak. The 
girl in the ring was swaying more unevenly and 
suddenly tumbled in a small crumpled heap on 
the ground, her arms flung above her head, 
her face upturned to the noonday sun. 


100 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Immediately, and without a suggestion 
from their Leader, the small Patrol of Girl 
Scouts, who had been only idle spectators the 
moment before, assumed command. 

Tory Drew and Evan and the Scout Captain 
slipped under the ropes. 

The boy was seated on the ground with his 
dancing partner’s head in his lap. The tears 
were streaking the wLite flour that covered 
his face. 

“Don’t be frightened, she will be all right 
in a few moments. It is the heat and the 
dust and the fatigue,” Tory murmured. “Is 
she your sister?” 

The boy nodded. 

Miss Frean and Evan Phillips were adminis¬ 
tering First Aid. Evan was pouring water 
between the closed white lips, Miss Frean was 
loosening the too tight clothes. 

The other Girl Scouts with the assistance 
of Donald McClain and Tom Courtenay were 
keeping the crowd from coming too near. 

Suddenly a tall, lank figure, with a face 
white as the girl’s face and as the boy’s make¬ 
up, joined the group of five. 

The Scout Captain glanced at him indig¬ 
nantly. 

He was the man who earlier in the perform- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


101 


ance had held the hoop aloft for the young 
rider to jump through. 

The gii’l’s eyelids were fluttering on her 
cheeks. She looked at the man and smiled. 

There is nothing the matter now, Dad, 
don't be frightened. Silly of me to faint, 
wasn't it?" 

Then she stared in surprise at the two Girl 
Scouts and the Scout Captain. 

“You are Scouts? Why, where did you 
come from? Thank you for being kind to 
me." The girl's voice was surprisingly sweet 
and refined. She sat up. 

At this same instant the boat whistle blew. 

Tory and Evan exchanged glances with 
Miss Frean and with each other. They must 
go on board, for in another ten minutes their 
boat would leave the wharf. Already their 
trip had been too long delayed, and it was 
impossible that the entire party should remain 
in the little town of Twin Mules overnight and 
equally impossible they should be divided. 

The tall man lifted the young girl in his 
arms as if she had been a small child. He 
was awkward and frightened, but the Scout 
Captain saw that he was undoubtedly attached 
to the girl, who was probably his daughter. 
At present there was time for few inquiries. 


102 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


''See that the little girl is kept quiet and 
cool and that she does not dance again for - 
some time/^ Memory Frean remarked sternly. 
"In any case this is not suitable work or 
surroundings for a young girl/’ 

The tall man made no reply. 

With the girl in his arms and the boy 
beside him he moved off toward the gold 
canvas-covered wagon. The Scout Captain, 
the Girl Scouts, Tom and Donald hurried 
down the hill toward the boat landing. 

After luncheon the Girl Scouts and Miss 
Frean retired to their tiny staterooms, leaving 
Donald McClain and Tom Courtenay to talk 
to each other and to their fellow passengers. 

At four o’clock the girls and their Captain 
came up on deck again, as they expected to 
reach High Bridge by sundown and there end 
their river travel. 

Once more the scenery became wilder and 
more picturesque, the river flowing between 
high green cliffs looked like a deep, dark 
tunnel. 

As the sun declined a band of colored 
musicians appeared on board, who had come 
from another of the river towns. One of 
them possessed a beautiful tenor voice. 

Conversation ceased altogether as he began 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


103 


singing to the accompaniment of a banjo, a 
guitar and a mandolin. The words of his 
song were written by the colored poet, Paul 
Laurence Dunbar: 

‘‘Oh, the grubbin’ hoe^s a-rustin’ in de con^nah, 

An’ de plow’s a-tumblin’ down in de fiel’; 

While de whippo’will’s a-wailin’ lak a moun’nah 
When his stubbo’n hea’t is tryin’ ha’d to yiel’. 

An’ de banjo’s voice is silent in de qua’ters, 

D’ain’t a hymn ner coon-song ringin’ in de air; 

But de murmur of a branch’s passin’ waters 
Is de only soun’ dat breks de stillness dere.” 

The sun dropped behind the mountains. 
The afterglow colored the water and the sky. 
The scenery grew more surpassingly lovely. 

The boat, moving on serenely, left a silver 
line in its wake. 

The girls were talking again but in low 
voices, planning the next day^s journey along 
the open road; they were dreaming, too, lost 
in the surrounding loveliness. 

The Scout Captain was thinking of the 
young girl in the circus wagon. What would 
become of her? She was too frail and refined 
for so trying a life. What was it Tom Courte¬ 
nay had remarked? Neither the girl, the 
man, nor the boy are Southerners. I am not 
sure they are Americans. No matter how 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


lOi 

poor, Kentuckians would never descend to 
such an exhibition before a mixed audience/' 

'^The older man might be a foreigner," the 
Scout Captain mused, but the girl and boy 
looked and spoke like our own country people. 
Has the lure of the open road impelled them 
to such an existence?" 

Tory Drew placed a hand on her arm. 

Memory Frean, we are to reach High 
Bridge in half an hour. When we move round 
the next bend in the river we shall see the 
outline of the mammoth bridge. Don't 
trouble about the little circus girl. Hard as 
her fate may seem to you, she may find it 
filled with long stretches of beauty and ro¬ 
mance." 


CHAPTER IX 


THE OPEN ROAD 

T he Patrol oP^the Girl Scouts of the 
Eaglets Wing marched along the broad 
highway in regular formation. 

Several days had passed since the close of 
their river journey, and they were now in 
the vicinity of the famous blue-grass region of 
Kentucky. 

The countryside had undergone. an au¬ 
tumnal rejuvenescence. It was lovely as 
early summer. Along the hillsides the grapes 
were purple and gold beneath their shelter 
of leaves. The heads of the rich grain were 
drooping with ripe seeds, while on either side 
of the roadway the cattle and sheep stood 
grazing sleepily in the rich pastures. 

‘^It is blue. I never believed it, I thought 
it was foolish for Tom Courtenay to be always 
talking of it,^^ Teresa Peterson remarked to 
Evan Phillips, who was marching beside her. 

The Patrol was moving in columns of two, 
and conversation was permitted between the 
marching companions. 

( 105 ) 


106 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


It is blue! What on earth do you mean, 
Tessa? Are you talking of the sky or the 
color of my eyes? You might have made my 
eyes plural, since I possess two blue ones.” 

A httle disdainfully Teresa shrugged her 
plump shoulders. The movement was almost 
imperceptible. 

^^Oh, of course I mean that the grass is 
really blue! Surely you have heard Tom 
Courtenay say that Kentucky is divided into 
three parts, the pennyroyal district, the bear- 
grass and the blue-grass!” 

Teresa gave a sigh as of relief from boredom, 
don’t care a snap about scenery or 
whether the grass is blue or green or yellow. 
I think the people who rave over landscapes 
are pretending or putting on airs. But I do 
like this rich looking country and the big 
handsome houses better than I liked the 
mountains. I am sure the people are far nicer. 
As an example Tom Courtenay is not a bit 
like the boys we have known in Westhaven. 
He is even nicer than Donald McClain, and 
I once admired Donald. I do think it will be 
tiresome if Miss Frean does not allow us to 
visit Tom Courtenay’s mother and father. 
I don’t think she should decUne without con¬ 
sulting us.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


107 


Evan laughed. 

^^You mean she should consult you, Tessa. 
Then I donT believe there would be much 
danger of a refusal. 

Of late Evan Phillips and Teresa Peterson 
had developed an unlooked-for intimacy. 
They were not ahke in temperament. Teresa 
was what an old-fashioned and not flatter¬ 
ing conception of girls once called intensely 
feminine. Evan possessed a number of 
almost boyish traits of character. She 
was only a few months younger in years but 
a good deal younger in her points of view 
than the other girls in her Scout troop. She 
was deeply interested in dancing and had a 
delightful sense of humor. She and her 
mother had lived in such close companionship 
that Evan was not accustomed to thinking 
for herself. This past summer was the first 
time they had been separated. 

Teresa^s undeniable prettiness, her need for 
a confidant had influenced the other girl. 
One fact was important. When Evan entered 
the present Patrol of Scouts the other girls 
already had their close intimacies. Teresa 
seemed a little apart from the others; her in¬ 
dolence, her love of admiration and of society 
made her less congenial. 


108 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


At present her admiration for Tom Courte¬ 
nay had amused several of her companions 
and annoyed the others. 

“Then I must be one of the pretenders, 
Tessa, for I do think the blue grass is lovely.^’ 
Evan glanced over the low split rail fences. 
“^In spring the blue grass is most beautiful 
just before the seed stalks have shot upward 
from the flowing tufts, and while the thin, 
smooth, polished blades having risen to their 
greatest height are beginning to bend or break 
and fall over on themselves from sheer 
luxuriance. The least observant eye is now 
constrained to note that blue grass is the 
characteristic element of the Kentucky turf 
—the first element of beauty in the Kentucky 
landscape. Over the stretches of woodland 
pasture, over the meadows and the lawns, by 
the edges of turnpike and lane, in the fence 
corners—wherever its seed has been allowed 
to flourish—^it spreads a verdure so soft in 
fold and fine in texture that it looks like a 
deep-lying thick-matted moss. With the 
passing of summer a second vigorous growth, 
and the landscape is covered with a verdure 
resembling the luxuriance of spring.’ 

A little out of breath, but with her lips 
taking an upward curve, Evan paused. 





AND THE OPEN ROAD 


109 


''Good gracious, Evan Phillips, do hush! 
You are talking like a book. And you know 
how I hate clever people!’’ 

'' Poor Tessa! Yes, I was quoting, of course. 
Surely you have read the book Miss Frean told 
us to read before we set out on our trip along 
the Kentucky highways. It is called 'The 
Blue-Grass Region of Kentucky’ and is by 
James Lane Allen. I memorized a few para¬ 
graphs so as to impress my mother. She 
insists I am not to think a dancer needs no 
education except in her feet. See what an 
attractive house! I wish mother and I had 
a home like it.” 

In anything so obvious as a house Teresa 
was interested. Besides, she was glad to have 
Evan change the subject, as she was not fond 
of books. 

An old-fashioned Kentucky farmhouse sat 
at a comfortable distance back from the road. 
Between the road and the house the orchard 
was filled with apple trees. To the left of the 
house was the vineyard and to the right larger 
orchards. Evidently the farm was one of the 
famous fruit farms of the neighborhood. 

The Girl Scouts of the Open Road were a 
little fatigued, for during the past few days 
they had traveled steadily, pausing only for 


110 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


food and occasional short rests, striking tent 
about five each afternoon. The days were 
warm, but the nights out of doors were cool 
and fragrant. 

At this instant the Scout Captain gave the 
command, “Fall Out,’’ and the Patrol halted 
and broke ranks. 

Teresa sighed with relief. She was not fond 
of long hikes, and of late it seemed to her their 
walks would never end. Tory Drew showed 
evidences of her illness in the mountain cabin 
and to-day the Scout Captain felt it not wise 
to attempt too many miles. 

Teresa seated herself on a low rail fence, but 
a moment later sprang to her feet. 

A figure on horseback was flying down the 
road from the farmhouse and without pausing 
vaulted over the gate and drew up within a 
few feet of the Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing. 

“ Is this Miss Frean and her Troop of Scouts 
from Westhaven, Connecticut?” she asked, a 
little out of breath. “ My name is Jane Helm. 
Tom Courtenay is my cousin, he and his friend 
are waiting for you at our house. My mother 
wants you to stay and have lunch with us. 
Please do. We have been making prepara¬ 
tions for you ever since Tom stopped by to 
tell us of his strange meeting with two un- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


111 


known Girl Scouts in his mountain cabin. I 
am a member of a Girl Scout Troop, ^The 
Kentucky Cardinals.’ Have I introduced 
myself sufficiently?” 

^^We are very grateful, you are more than 
kind,” the Scout Captain answered slowly. 
^^But there are so many of us, I am sure we 
would give you too much trouble.” She was 
beginning to think that in Kentucky Tom 
Courtenay’s hospitahty was not so unusual as 
she had imagined. 

^^Oh, no, you will be doing us the favor. I 
would not let Tom come with me to invite 
you. I preferred inviting you myself. Mother 
and my sister and I love new people and here 
on the farm we do not meet a great many 
interesting ones. I have never known a Girl 
Scout outside my own state. It will be such 
fun to talk things over and compare expe¬ 
riences!” 

The old red brick farmhouse behind its 
shading of apple trees appeared cool, hos¬ 
pitable and alluring. 

The Scout Captain glanced at her group of 
girls. 

Teresa looked fretful and tired, Tory Drew 
was whiter than usual, the line of her chin 
sharper. She had been more seriously ill in 


112 


tHE GIRI. SCOUTS 


the mountain cabin than she cared to confess. 
Dorothy McClain^s color was less fresh and 
radiant. She too showed the effect of the 
strain of nursing. As a matter of fact, only 
Ann Craig, the Kentucky mountain girl who 
had joined the Patrol earlier in the summer, 
appeared as vigorous and fresh as at the hour 
of their departure. 

The girl who was speaking had bobbed 
auburn hair, red-brovm eyes of almost the 
same shade, a tanned skin with freckles on 
her upturned nose. Her costume consisted 
of a pair of khaki trousers and a soft blue linen 
blouse. 

There was no mistaking the wish of the 
Patrol of Girl Scouts to accept her invitation. 

^^Very well, if you are sure we wonT be a 
nuisance,the Scout Captain agreed. 

The old-fashioned house had attracted her 
with its air of dignity and repose. One real¬ 
ized that it had sheltered joy and sorrow in the 
century of its history. The Girl Scouts of the 
Eagle’s Wing might never have an opportunity 
to enter such a home again. 

Jane Helm smiled. 

Would any one of you like to riae my 
horse? The distance to the house is very 
short, but I seldom walk when I have the 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


113 


chance to ride. I have kept my horse saddled 
for the past two hours, I was so determined 
you should not go by without my overtaking 
you. We would have been so disappointed.” 

Evan Phillips had never been on a horse in 
her life; now the wistfulness of her expression 
was sufficient. Assisting her to mount, Jane 
Helm led the way, holding the horse’s bridle. 
The Scout Captain walked beside her, with 
her Patrol following. 

An old collie dog, red and gold and brown 
as the autumn coloring, came bounding for- 
w^ard to meet them. Immediately behind 
walked Tom Courtenay and Donald McClain 
with a girl of about eighteen or nineteen years. 

‘‘1 never saw such a lovely girl in my life! 
Do look, Dorothy, Donald seems completely 
overcome. Isn’t it absurd, when he usually 
is so superior! I would not mind one bit if he 
learns a lesson,” Tory whispered into Dorothy 
McClain’s ear. 

There was no opportunity for further con¬ 
versation between them, as their hostess, Mrs. 
Helm, was also advancing to meet them. A 
moment later Jane was introducing her mother 
and sister, Katherine Helm. 

Undeniably they were not unexpected 
guests. 


8 


114 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


On the lawn before the house under the 
September shadows of the trees a long table 
was covered with a snow white cloth and 
ornamented with two great bowls of fruit, 
purple and white grapes, red and yellow 
apples, a few late peaches and russet brown 
pears. 

Unconsciously Teresa sighed with pleasure. 

Mrs. Helm smiled. 

^^You will come into the house first and get 
rid of some of our Kentucky dust. Then we 
will have our lunch at once and talk after¬ 
wards. I am going to try to persuade you to 
stay for the night with us. I want to hear of 
your journey along the open road. It seems 
to me that of late only the Girl Scouts and the 
Boy Scouts have the enterprise to do the out¬ 
door things. I would like to join you on the 
open road.^^ 

Upstairs Jane Helm invited Ann Craig and 
Tory Drew into her own bedroom, as she had 
taken an immediate fancy to them, although 
they were so unlike. 

“Do persuade your Scout Captain to let 
you spend the night with us. One night wonT 
make much difference in your journey! We 
have a fireplace in the dining-room over a 
hundred years old, where we can build a fire 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


115 


and tell ghost stories. Of course, this old 
house is haunted; at least, the colored people 
in the neighborhood insist that it is. Please 
don^t tell mother I mentioned the fact, as it 
annoys her. But it is rather fun, I think, to 
own a ghost!” 

Janets conversation was interrupted by the 
ringing of a bell. 

A quarter of an hour after the long table on 
the lawn was occupied by the Girl Scouts and 
Miss Frean, their three new friends, Donald 
McClain and Tom Courtenay. 

Dorothy kept glancing a little anxiously at 
her brother Donald, who seemed at present 
oblivious of everyone except Katherine Helm. 
She was beautiful but a good deal older than 
Donald and could think of him only as a boy. 
She was unlike her mother and sister, her 
hair was a pale gold and her eyes golden brown. 
She was evidently not a great talker, as she 
now sat quietly listening to Donald. 

He was talking about himself, Dorothy sur¬ 
mised, which was not like Donald. But she 
must conquer her absurd pangs of jealousy. 
Her favorite twin brothers, Donald and Lance, 
would soon learn to care more for other girls 
than they cared for her; as they were sixteen 
perhaps the time was not far away. To-day 


116 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Donald was fascinated by a beautiful girl a 
good deal older whom he would soon forget. 

Dorothy was sitting so that she faced the 
road leading from the main highway into the 
farm. She was close beside the Scout Captain 
and their hostess. 

^^Miss Frean, my husband is away for the 
day, but he will be at home to-night and dis¬ 
appointed if you do not stay for the night 
here with us. I think your girls seem a little 
tired and the rest will be good for them.^^ 

^^Mrs. Helm, Miss Frean, I beg your par¬ 
don,’^ Dorothy interrupted. ^^Here come the 
'DolhversM Mrs. Helm, we landed the other 
day from our river steamboat at a little town 
called ^Twin Mules. ^ We found the ^Dolli- 
vers’ there before us and giving an outdoor 
circus performance. There were only three 
of them, the father, son and daughter, and we 
thought the girl very unusual. You remem¬ 
ber, donT you. Miss Frean?” 

Everybody at the table looked up. 

The gold-covered canvas wagon had left 
the main road and was moving slowly up the 
private road inside the Helm place. 

It stopped a few yards from the luncheon 
table. 

A tall, thin man with a curious foreign air 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


117 


climbed down from the driver^s seat and came 
forward toward Mrs. Helm. 

daughter isn’t so well and a storm is 
coming on. May we stay here for a time until 
it passes and will you tell me how to find the 
nearest doctor? You need not be afraid of 
Donna or Bob or me, we won’t trouble you, 
ma’am, or do any harm to your place.” 

He turned and eyed the girls at the table 
with surprise and pleasure. He then made a 
low bow to the Scout Captain. 

Ain’t you the lady who looked after my 
girl when she fainted during our performance 
the other day? I could see what you thought 
of me for letting her ride and dance before 
that crowd when she wasn’t feeling extra well.” 

He smiled down upon Tory and Dorothy. 

Donna was awful pleased at being taken 
care of by Girl Scouts. She ain’t talked of 
much else since and wanting to be a Girl Scout 
herself. We followed along the towpath by 
the river till your steamboat was out of sight. 
I don’t suppose one of you now w^ould go up 
to the wagon and speak to her; might cheer 
her up a lot. Ain’t nothing ser’ous the trouble 
with her, just tired and got a cold like.” 

Tory, Dorothy and Jane Helm walked over 
at once toward the gold-covered canvas wagon. 


CHAPTER X 

THE STORM AND THE STORY 

O UTSIDE the rain was beating down 
with magnificent fury; a sudden Sep¬ 
tember storm had broken, flooding the 
fields and countryside. 

Inside the long, low room a wood fire was 
burning. The walls of the room were covered 
with a queer old-fashioned blue paper. Upon 
shelves along the w^alls were pieces of old 
Willow and Delft china. The lamp swinging 
above the walnut dining-room table had the 
light turned down, so that only the firelight 
flickered and glowed, throwing fitful shadow^s 
on the faces surrounding it in a wide double 
circle. 

Night had fallen and the Girl Scouts of the 
Eaglets Wing, their Captain, Donald McClain 
and Tom Courtenay were still at the Helm 
farmhouse. 

Hearing the rain and the wind about the 
old brick chimney, the travelers of the open 
road were grateful for the warmth and shelter. 
They were not alone in their gratitude. 

( 118 ) 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


119 


Reclining on a Morris chair was a young 
girl wrapped in a heavy white woolen shawl. 
Her face was thin, her eyes large and wistful 
and two bright spots of color shone on her 
high cheek bones. Seated beside her was a 
tall, thin dark man with the look of a foreigner, 
and behind the two a boy of about fourteen, 
apparently less at ease than either his father 
or sister. 

The Dollivers also had found a refuge. 
Strangers as they were, with no one to vouch 
for them, followers of a sometimes despised 
profession, Mrs. Helm had not sent them 
forth into the storm. 

Certainly, ma’am, we shall always be that 
grateful to you. Seems like Bob and I could 
have hid the canvas wagon under the trees 
and made out the night, spite of the wind and 
rain, but mth Donna not feeling any too good, 
it would have been hard on her, harder’n 
usual,” Mr. Dolliver remarked, speaking in a 
low, confidential tone. 

He was not far from Mrs. Helm and Miss 
Frean. In front of them and closer to the 
fire were half a dozen of the Girl Scouts, Tom 
and Donald and Jane Helm. They were 
sitting cross legged on sofa cushions and had 
been telling stories, roasting apples and pop¬ 
ping corn. 


120 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


In a low chair in the midst of them, her 
pale hair gleaming with silver lights, was 
Katherine Helm, Donald McClain beside her. 

Mr. DoUiver’s gaze traveled from the group 
to the figure of the girl in the Morris chair. 
In spite of her outdoor life she looked very 
fragile. Her hair was a curious color, as if 
the natural light brown had been burned to 
gold by the wind and sun. Her eyes, now half 
closed, were narrow gray eyes with the faint 
blue of steel. Her lips were pale and her 
expression almost haggard. She did not look 
unhappy. At this instant she appeared obliv¬ 
ious of herself and of her illness in her interest 
in her new acquaintances. 

am afraid your daughter is not strong 
enough to do the work you expect of her. I 
felt convinced of this the other day when we 
saw her riding and dancing before a mixed 
audience of men, women and children, colored 
people and white, in the little town of Twin 
Mules. Now I am more than ever sure of the 
fact,^^ Miss Frean protested. Her voice was 
kind and firm. Her sympathy for the girl had 
been aroused at their original meeting, but 
to-night she appreciated that no one was so 
unhappy over his daughter as Mr. DoUiver. 

''You must forgive me,^^ she continued. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


121 


^^but you see as a Scout Captain I am espe¬ 
cially interested in girls, and your Donna does 
not appear suited to the life she is leading. 
If I could play the part of a fairy godmother, 
and you need not be troubled for I cannot, 
I would like to persuade you to send her to 
some school where she could have a chance to 
study and be with other young girls. 

The anxiety of Mr. Dolliver's face deepened. 
His eyelids and even his long nose twitched. 
He looked so like he was about to burst into 
tears that the Scout Captain regretted her 
rash advice. 

Seems as if you might be right, ma^am, 
but how are Bob and I to manage? Donna^s 
our whole show. Bob and I canT earn moreen 
a few dollars a week between us and canT 
always count on that. So maybe you can tell 
me what to do? We^d like the best way in the 
world to have Donna rest and be a lady like 
she is and like she deserves to be. I was a 
trick rider once and a good one, if I do say it 
as shouldnT, but I had a nasty fall and I^m 
not as young as I was once. DonT mind tell¬ 
ing you, since youVe all been so friendly like, 
that this black hair and black beard of mine 
ain’t as you might say natural. I touch ’em 
up a bit, as the saying is—shoe polish! Bob 


122 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


is a good boy, but he ain’t got much talent 
and started training too late; must have been 
five or six before his mother’d stop babying 
him.” 

A little silence had fallen upon the room and 
Tom Courtenay looked up curiously from his 
place by the fire and toward the older man. 

Would you mind telling me, are you an 
American?” he inquired. 

Mr. Dolliver appeared more cheerful. 

Funny, young man, but people are always 
asking me that question! I was born in some 
outlandish place in eastern Europe where the 
gypsies hail from. Must have put the wander¬ 
lust into my blood. Still, I was a good enough 
American from the time I was twelve years 
old or so. Maybe you wouldn’t never guess 
it but I was brought up by two spinster ladies 
to do chores on a little farm they owned up 
Vermont way. ’Pears like some of their styles 
of saying and doing things clings to me. I 
guess they stood a lot of nonsense from me 
first and last. They was good to me, yet 
somehow I couldn’t stick it. A circus come 
to our town and I run off with it. I ain’t 
been sorry or wanted to go back to farming. 
Later on I married a circus lady and Bob was 
born in a tent, as you might say. She was a 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


ns 

trapeze artist and a bareback rider and we 
were pretty prosperous in them days. She 
come of an old circus family; fact is, her 
family name was Dolliver, ^twasn^t my name 
right at first. ^Twas the missuses idea we 
start out for ourselves, just we four in the 
gold-colored canvas wagon. She never wanted 
Donna round \vith the circus crowd after she 
began growing up.’^ 

Tom Courtenay, who had become a Uttle 
cramped from sitting so long on the floor, 
stood with one arm resting on the mantel. He 
seemed suddenly interested by the circus man^s 
conversation. The Girl Scouts were also tired 
of story telling and laughter and games and 
felt that a piece of real human history might 
prove more entertaining. Besides, they were 
interested in the little circus rider, who looked 
very unlike one^s ordinary idea, as she sat up 
unexpectedly, clasping her hands tight to¬ 
gether outside the white woolen shawl. 

^^Are you going to tell about me, father? 
Please donT, I am sure no one is interested.^^ 

Mr. Dolliver looked injured, as evidently he 
enjoyed repeating his family history and did 
not wish to be interrupted. 

At this instant Tory Drew slipped from her 
place by the fire and sat down on the arm of 
the strange girks chair. 


124 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


let your father say what he intended. 
We are interested to learn more of you. 
Have I not been repeating to you the histories 
of our Patrol of Girl Scouts most of the after¬ 
noon when you should have been alone and 
resting? Remember, you insisted you wanted 
to hear, first the story of the Girl Scout organ¬ 
ization, then our individual stories. Do you 
mind if I ask a question?’’ 

The new girl yielded to Tory’s charm and 
sweetness and acquiescing sank back into her 
chair. 

^^Do you mind telling us, Mr. Dolliver, if 
Donna is your own daughter? Forgive my 
asking, but she does not look like you or your 
son,” Tory queried. 

Mr. Ignatius Dolliver hesitated and cleared 
his throat. 

The Scout Captain glanced reproachfully 
at Tory. At the same time she confessed to 
herself that the same question had been in 
her own mind for some time if not upon her 
lips. 

As a matter of fact, Mr. DoUiver at this 
moment was receiving the undivided attention 
of nearly every one in the room. He enjoyed 
an audience and appeared to appreciate his 
present one. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


125 


“Well, Donna is my own daughter in a way 
and in another way you might as well know 
the truth, she isn’t. Usually she doesn’t like 
me to tell, but you have all been so kind to us 
travelers, seems like she won’t mind your 
hearing. We have been loving each other so 
long and I’m so proud of her, in ways she 
seems more like my own child than Bob. 
She’s been closer to me than any born daugh¬ 
ter. Donna did not come of us circus folks. 
Maybe it surprises you that noticed how she 
can ride and dance; Donna’s mother and 
father were play-actors. Her real name is 
Foster. I don’t know what her mother’s 
name was ’fore she married. Shall I go on, 
Donna?” 

Mr. Dolliver was so obviously enjoying him¬ 
self and the little company so absorbed that 
the girl he addressed could only smile and bow 
her head. Tory saw her eyes cloud slightly 
and her hps tremble, but no one else was aware 
of this. 

“Close as the missus and I could find out, 
whv Donna’s mother came of rich folks who 
looked down on acting and never forgave her 
when she took to the stage and married an 
actor. She never would talk much. Maybe 
I ain’t telling things just straight. Bob and 


1£6 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Donna say that once I get to talking it^s like 
me riding a horse backwards; I used to ride 
that way in the old days. Well, here^s the 
straight of it! My wife and me and Bob (Bob 
was a baby) was traveling with a circus and 
showing for weeks at a time in big towns. We 
was taking in plenty of money and went to 
hve in a pretty nice boarding house. My wife, 
she made friends with a young woman. She 
wasn^t much more than a girl and was living 
in the same house and acting in a stock com¬ 
pany in the same city. She had a baby, an 
awful cute httle girl, Donna. The two women 
got kind of intimate like comparing the two 
babies. Donna’s mother said how her hus¬ 
band had died a year before and she had been 
having a pretty bad time since trying to act 
and see to the baby. She hadn’t been taught 
how to do things. My wife noticed this right 
off, though she tried hard, goodness knows! 
Then she took sick. Well, I don’t want to say 
too much. It makes Donna kind of sad like 
and maybe you are tired hearing me talk. 
Donna’s mother had the flu and in about 
forty-eight hours it was all over. My wife 
was with her every minute of the time she 
could spare and no one else. The long and 
short of it is, she asked us to take her baby. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


127 


She had a httle money in bank, enough to see 
to her burying, and a few hundred over. She 
told my wife that her folks were rich, but she 
did not want them to know she had ever had 
a baby. She was awful young like and bitter 
’cause things had gone so against her and her 
husband had died. She said her parents 
wouldn’t be good to the little girl. They would 
always be telling her that her mother and 
father were no account and she must look 
down on them and promise never to be like 
them. She took on so terrible that my wife 
promised. They called me in and made me 
promise too. It didn’t seem exactly fair to 
her own people, but somehow we couldn’t 
refuse the poor thing. So Donna’s been our 
girl ever since and you can see how in one way 
she’s my daughter;then again she aint.” 

Mr. Dolliver reached over and stroked 
Donna’s hair with fingers that were infinitely 
gentle and loving. They were curious long 
fingers like an artist’s and not like a working 
man’s. The boy must have resembled his 
mother, he was far sturdier and less gentle¬ 
manly, although he appeared well meaning 
and devoted. He did not show jealousy of 
his father’s open preference for his foster 
sister. 


128 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Course, it is plain enough Donna is differ¬ 
ent from Bob and me. Donna means dady,’ 
you know, in Eyetalian. An Eyetalian who 
posed for them Greek and Eyetalian statues 
in the circus called her Donna when she was a 
little girl and Donna she has been to us ever 
since. Her mother had given her a sort of 
play acting name, Viola, but Bob and I ain^t 
never cared much to call her anything ^cept 
Donna. Maybe shedl be going back to her 
real name some day, since she wants to be a 
play actress like her mother.’^ 

Mr. Dolliver sighed deeply. 

Seems like Bob and I ought to be able to 
make out so as to give her a chance. She has 
got to read books and learn an awful lot, I 
expect, before she can get very far ahead. 
But when we do our turns why maybe only a 
few pennies come our way. Then when 
Donna appears why sometimes it^s quarters 
and half dollars and now and then a bill! 
You mustnT think The Dollivers show in 
such little backwoods places as Twin Mules 
moreen once or twice a year. We had gotten 
off our road and money was low and Donna 
said she did not mind. It is all the same to 
her, she says, so she can bring in the where¬ 
withal for her old Dad.’’ 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


129 


Again Mr. Ignatius Dolliver’s voice 
trembled. 

Tory saw her new acquaintance flush and 
veil her gray eyes. She did care. This was 
self-evident, only she cared more for the 
father who had been so devoted, more than if 
she had been his own daughter perhaps. 

Donna sat up now, allowing the white shawl 
to slip from her thin shoulders. 

^^Oh, Ifll manage, you are not to worry,’^ 
she seemed to have forgotten her other com¬ 
panions and to be thinking only of her troubled 
father. 

^^If my mother could act with her people 
hating what she wished to do and disowning 
her and never seeing her again, why I ought to 
succeed with father and Bob trying to help me 
in every way they can. We are on our way 
now to the big towns in the blue-grass coun¬ 
try. This is the month of the county fairs and 
we hope to make a lot of money. In cold 
weather we shall settle down in a town and 
Bob and I go to school. We have several 
winters, havenT we. Bob, living and sleeping 
in our gold covered canvas wagon and father 
doing odd jobs?’^ 

The circus girl was not talking to her own 
family but to the circle of eager, friendly faces 


130 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


surrounding her, only Katherine Helm and 
Donald McClain appeared slightly bored. 
Donald was bored because he had observed 
the expression on the older girFs face and 
wished to follow her in all things at the present 
moment. Ordinarily he would have been 
as interested as the others, certainly Tom 
Courtenay was and he was older and had more 
experience of the world than Donald. 

Tom left his position by the fire and came 
over toward the group within the group com¬ 
posed of the Scout Captain, Mrs. Helm, Tory 
Drew and the Dollivers. 

He addressed himself to Donna with all 
the courtesy and charm of manner that Tory 
Drew and Dorothy McClain had grown ac¬ 
customed to in their sojourn in his mountain 
cabin. 

^‘Is it true you really do mean to be an 
actress some day? Then donT let anyone or 
anything discourage you. And, by the way, 
why donT you and your father and brother 
come to Lexington and give your performance? 
I know nearly everybody in town and you 
can count on my drumming up a first-rate 
audience. By the way, my father has a 
large country place. Would you like to give 
your circus there?’’ 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


131 


Mr. Ignatius DoUiver and Bob looked 
delighted, but before either one of them could 
speak Donna shook her head. 

^^Oh, no, not before all of you; I couldn’t! 
Before strangers it does not so much matter. 
Father and Bob are proud of our entertain¬ 
ment and they think I am ever so much better 
than I am, but please don’t think I fail to 
understand how httle I can do.” 

Donna’s voice broke and she dropped her 
chin. Difficult to explain without wounding 
her father and brother that she realized what 
a poor group of showmen they were, who 
traveled along the open road, sheltered from 
the wind and rain and sun by the gold-covered 
canvas wagon. 

^^You must not think of what you are doing 
in any such fashion. Feel as if it were means 
to an end you intend to accomplish. Some 
day when you are a famous actress you will 
like to recall the old days of playing out of 
doors and the gold-covered canvas wagon. 
I have asked Miss Frean and the Girl Scouts 
of the Eagle’s Wing to visit us in Lexington. 
They have not consented, but I have great 
faith in my mother’s being able to persuade 
them. Now the storm has kept them with 
Aunt Jane, they will hardly be so unkind 


132 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


as to refuse to come to us. Perhaps you 
might—Without finishing his speech, 
Tom Courtenay hesitated. Embarrassed, his 
face clouded, his handsome forehead drew 
together in a heavy frown. 

Tory Drew and Dorothy McClain gazed at 
him in surprise and consternation. Never in 
their days together in the little mountain 
cabin had he revealed this side of his nature. 
He always had been amiable and agreeable. 
They had recognized that he was spoiled and 
accustomed to having his way, but he had 
been too considerate a host to make them 
uncomfortable. The present Tom Courtenay 
was a more difficult person. 

am afraid Donna wonT be able to ride 
or dance for some time. She does not seem 
strong enough,^' Mrs. Helm answered gently. 

was about to suggest that she go to bed. 
Even if her severe headache has passed off and 
the doctor thinks she is only overtired, the 
strain of a performance in Lexington would be 
too severe. I donT believe your mother 
would be influenced in the way you desire, 
Tom dear. Indeed, the effect might be in the 
opposite direction. 

Tom Courtenay turned and without even a 
pretense of saying good-night, left the room. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


133 


Dorothy McClain, who was sitting beside 
Jane Helm, unconsciously uttered an excla¬ 
mation of surprise. She had not liked all of 
Tom Courtenay^s characteristics, but she had 
been deeply impressed by his good manners 
and a little ashamed of her own in comparison. 
To-night his behavior left a good deal to be 
desired. 

To her amazement she observed that Jane’s 
red-brqvm eyes were shining with amuse¬ 
ment, although her expression was not un- 
s^mipathetic. 

She leaned over to whisper. 

Didn’t my cousin, Tom Courtenay, con¬ 
fide to you the secret of his life? I am sur¬ 
prised when you were ten days in the same 
place and he seems to like you especially. 
Tom’s ardent desire is to become an actor. 
He Wyants to stop college and go upon the 
stage at once. His mother and father are 
dreadfully opposed to the idea. Aunt Pa¬ 
tricia won’t hear of it. She says if Tom isn’t 
a great lawyer, as all her family have been, 
she will never be able to bear the disappoint¬ 
ment. So you see he is interested in a per¬ 
fectly strange girl and her absurd father 
because he heard them speak of acting and 
stage people. It is awfully silly, when Tom 


134 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


has every opportunity. He will have a great 
deal of money if he behaves himself. Aunt 
Patricia seems to think the stage a family 
disgrace, just as Donna^s mother^s family 
seem to have done. Truth is that Tom and 
Patricia had an argument with regard to his 
quitting college and Tom rushed off to his 
cabin to escape from the discussion. He 
claims he wanted to get away from society 
and girls; and he may have partly. Aunt 
Patricia thinks that society distracts people 
from their troubles. My sister has the same 
idea. Are you tired? You must be. Well, 
father will be coming home soon. He has 
been spending the day in Frankfort and I 
suppose the storm has delayed him. The 
storm does not sound so severe. You and 
Tory Drew and Ann Craig are to sleep in the 
room with me. Perhaps I can tell you our 
family ghost story, the ghost story of this old 
house. Mother would not mind my repeating 
it to you, it is so improbable. She was not 
willing to have me tell everybody to-night for 
fear some one might be nervous. It is a very 
tragic story. 

There was a little stir among the group 
about the fire. 

Footsteps were heard in the hall, and the 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 135 

door opened and Mr. Helm entered. He 
did not appear surprised as one might have 
anticipated upon beholding an entirely strange 
collection of people about his own fireside. 

With an inquiring expression his eyes turned 
from his wife to Mr. DoUiver. He smiled 
upon the Patrol of Girl Scouts. 


CHAPTER XI 


A SPECTRE 


HE storm apparently was past; al¬ 



though deep clouds were still in the 


sky, the moon was showing through 


them 


Tory Drew lay upon the edge of the bed 
gazing out into the night and grateful for the 
warmth and shelter. In times past she would 
have enjoyed the idea of sleeping under a 
dripping tent near the border of the open 
road. But since her illness in the mountain 
cabin she had not felt so well as she pretended 
to the Scout Captain and the girls. During 
the past few days of marching along the high¬ 
way with the arching canopies of trees over¬ 
head and the meadows and fields near by 
golden with harvests, she had made a pre¬ 
tense to an enthusiasm she could not force 
herself to feel. Her feet lagged, her head 
ached, not violently, scarcely enough to men¬ 
tion, but with a kind of duU throbbing, due 
chiefly to weariness. 

At present she was unable to sleep. This 


(136) 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


137 


was not surprising, since the big bedroom was 
occupied by three other girls, and conversation 
had not ceased for a moment since they re¬ 
tired for the night. 

Tory, by her own request occupied a cot by 
the window. Dorothy McClain and Jane 
Helm w^ere sleeping in Janets own four-poster 
mahogany bed, Ann Craig lay on a trundle 
bed beside them. 

Occasionally Ann^s quiet breathing attested 
the fact that she had dropped off to sleep, but 
Dorothy and Jane seemed able to talk end¬ 
lessly. Not that Tory was less interested, 
only to-night for several reasons she chose to 
listen with only infrequent comment. 

Apparently Jane Helm had not often con¬ 
fidants of girls of her own age, and intended 
making the most of her present opportunity. 

Already she had added a good many details 
to her story of her cousin, Tom Courtenay. 

Tory was surprised by the number of ques¬ 
tions Dorothy asked and by her disapproval. 
Her own brother Lance was studying to be¬ 
come a professional pianist and what was the 
difference between acting and playing before 
an audience? 

“I donT understand Tom Courtenay^s fail¬ 
ing to mention his ambition to us,'' Dorothy 


138 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


protested, more to herself than to her com¬ 
panions, thought we talked of everything 
under the sun in the days we were in his cabin. 
I remember now, Jane, that he allowed Tory 
and me to talk of our interest in Scouting most 
of the time/^ 

“ Oh, well, let us not discuss Tom any more,’' 
Jane answered. ^^If he carries out his plan 
and your Scout Captain accepts his invitation, 
you will probably be taken into his confidence. 
I suppose you know he had included Katherine 
and me in his invitation and mother has 
agreed. The Lindens is a wonderful place. 
You say you hke our old farm but it is very 
simple in comparison. Our house is old and 
Tom’s father built theirs only a few years 
ago.” 

Jane yawned and then sat upriglit. 

'^By the way, it must be nearly time to go 
to sleep and I have never told you our ghost 
story. I am the only member of the family 
who is proud of the ghost. Father and mother 
insist it is all nonsense and Katherine is ner¬ 
vous, although she won’t say so. Katherine 
and I are not in the least alike.” 

^^Yes, I have observed the fact,” Dorothy 
answered. “I can see your sister cares more 
for boys than for girls. She is much more 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


139 


interested in Donald and Tom Courtenay than 
in Girl Scouts/^ 

By the window Tory Drew turned from 
looking at the beauty of the night outside to 
remark sleepily: 

Hurry and tell your ghost story, Jane, 
since it seems to be upon your mind and if 
you are sure your mother will not object. We 
have been breaking our Scout rules shockingly 
to-night. I am afraid we shall have to confess 
to Miss Frean if she does not suspect the 
worst when she sees us in the morning. It 
is just as well Ann Craig is asleep. Ghosts 
and Ann have little in common, she is such a 
brave out-of-doors person. I told you she 
had only joined our Scout troop this summer 
and is returning to spend the winter in West- 
haven with our Scout Captain. She is a 
native of your Kentucky mountains. It is odd 
to find such a difference in people separated 
hy only a few miles and a few mountains.^^ 

Yes, I know, strangers are always speaking 
of it,^^ Jane returned with no special show of 
interest. ^^I think I have learned most of 
your histories, including the mystery of Donna 
Foster, otherwise Viola Foster, otherwise 
Dolliver. Father was slightly suspicious of 
Mr. Dolliver, I beheve. In any case he sug- 


140 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


gested that he and his son sleep over the barn, 
the bedrooms are quite comfortable. Donna 
has a little bedroom to herself near mother’s 
in case she is not well in the night. You see, 
mother is the female Good Samaritan brought 
up to date, at least this is what my father calls 
her. I’ll apologize to Miss Frean in the morn¬ 
ing for breaking the Scout rules and tell my 
ghost story quickly. Fact is, it is a Girl Scout 
ghost story and this is my chief reason for 
wishing to confide it to you.” 

Jane clasped her two hands over her knees 
and began rocking quietly back and forth, 
now neither tired nor sleepy, but apparently 
enjoying herself tremendously. However, 
she had not been tramping for the past few 
days along the beautiful Kentucky highways 
in the two sections of the country where the 
pennyroyal and the blue-grass districts meet. 

Girl Scout ghost story, Jane Helm! I 
utterly decline to believe it, although I apolo¬ 
gize for doubting you!” Dorothy murmured. 
She and Jane seemed to have established a 
special liking for each other. They were both 
free from affectations and devoted to outdoor 
life. There is one tribute that can always 
be paid Girl Scouts, we are sensible and prac¬ 
tical. We leave fanciful and frivolous amuse- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


141 


merits to other groups of girls. A Girl Scout 
ghost strikes me as fanciful and frivolous. 
Besides, the Girl Scout organization is not old 
enough to have produced a ghost. What is 
the name of the Ghost^s Scout Troop and does 
she wear a ghostly insignia upon her sleeve?^^ 

Tory giggled, and Ann was sufficiently 
awakened to rise upon one elbow and gaze 
curiously at the two white-robed figures in 
the four-poster bed. 

Laugh if you like,^^ Jane returned as one 
who was sure of victory. ^^It happens I told 
this same story of our ghost at a state meeting 
of the Girl Scouts at the Capital. There she 
was voted a pioneer Kentucky scout. I did 
not mention her ghost-like behavior then, I 
merely referred to it lightly. I only told her 
history, which goes back as far as the Civil 
War.” 

^^Well, Jane, go ahead, I am beginning to 
be interested in your ghost if she represents a 
romance,” Tory Drew urged, turning again 
from the beauty of the outside world that she 
could see through her open window, although 
the moon shone more brilliantly and the clouds 
rushed past as if blown by many winds in the 
high heavens. 

So often Tory found herself torn between 


142 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


her interest in human beings and her joy in 
the beauties of nature. She envied Dorothy 
McClain, who insisted people entertained her 
far less than sports and Girl Scout tests. Of 
late she had not been convinced that Dorothy 
was not mistaken, observing her keen concern 
in Tom Courtenay^s history. 

, Jane leaned her chin upon her hand. 

The moonlight played about her white figure 
and the short auburn hair. It transformed 
her rather matter-of-fact face, with its bril¬ 
liant coloring and short, eager nose, into a 
countenance more spiritueUe and eerie. 

Dorothy remained sunk amid her white 
pillow, while Ann Craig again relaxed, al¬ 
though wide awake and interested. 

^‘The story is a romance and a tragic one. 
You will soon see why my ancestress, Jeanne 
Helm, may be truly called a pioneer Girl 

Scout. Of course vou must remember that 

%/ 

in the days before the Civil War it was difficult 
to predict whether Kentucky would join the 
side of the Union or the South. Since the 
great European war, the Civil War does not 
appear so important. But I expect there 
never was a war where there was such bitter¬ 
ness and dreadful fainil}^ quarrels. My 
heroine was my grandmother^s older sister. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


143 


My grandmother only died a few years ago 
and used to talk to me about the lovely 
Jeanne, for whom I was named. Horrid, 
wasn’t it, to be called Jane instead; but 
mother’s name was also Jane and father 
insisted he preferred plain homespun names 
to French ones. Let’s see, I don’t know just 
where to begin! Oh yes, now do try to get 
this clear, because it is most important. My 
great-grandfather was a southern sympa¬ 
thizer. He was more than that, he wanted 
Kentucky to secede from the Union and he 
undertook to use all his influence to this 
end. As soon as war was declared my 
great-uncle, his only son, joined General 
John Morgan of Lexington, a cousin of 
Tom Courtenay’s by the way, on his 
mother’s side. You see, we are still interested 
in relations in Kentucky. You probably do 
not know, but General Morgan was one of the 
handsomest and most daring soldiers of the 
war. He rode with his cavalry through this 
part of the state and nearly all the young men 
in the neighborhood joined his regiment. Our 
entire family were rebels and proud to be 
called rebels, except one person, Jeanne. She 
was eighteen then and lovely as Katherine. 
Grandmother used to tell me that she was 



144 


THE GIRL SCOU^rS 


even more beautiful because she had a sweeter 
nature. Every young man in the neighbor¬ 
hood was in love with her as they are with my 
sister Katherine. When war was finally 
declared she was engaged. She broke off her 
engagement when her fiance refused to try to 
keep Kentucky from seceding. Instead he 
hurried off to Virginia and joined a rebel troop. 
Now for the Girl Scout portion of my story! 
With every member of her family against her 
and in a day when southern women were never 
supposed to raise their voices outside their 
homes, she went about everywhere pleading 
with Kentuckians to save the Union. She 
found out various important facts and some¬ 
how got messages through to Washington. 
My grandmother was a httle girl at the time 
and was never certain of the details. One 
unportant fact she did remember. Her 
mother and father learned what Jeanne was 
doing and w^ere angry and heart-broken. 
They regarded her as a spy in their own 
home. She was a kind of Jeanne d^Arc in a 
way, although only a few people know her 
history. She told her parents that love for 
the United States was stronger than her love 
for them. She said the South would fail, but 
that much blood would be spilled and the 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


145 


whole South devastated. She could not see 
her own state suffer the same fate. Seems 
odd, doesn^t it? I am not a bit of a heroine, 
I don^t suppose heroines repeat themselves 
in families like geniuses, do you?’’ 

“Oh, how is anyone to know, Jane? Please 
go on!” Tory ejaculated. “Your story is 
tragic, whether or not we believe in your 
ghost. Poor Jeanne! It seems an unfor¬ 
tunate name. I would rather be Jane if I 
were you.” 

“Well, there was nothing to do, in the face 
of such defiance, but to lock Jeanne in her own 
room and set some one as a guard to keep her 
from escaping. She declared that she would 
get away if it were possible and continue to 
work and pray harder than ever for the 
Union.” 

“We-uns would like to be such a Girl 
Scout!” Ann Craig remarked so unexpectedly 
that her three companions were startled. 
She scarcely had spoken a dozen words since 
they retired for the night. In Ann Craig’s 
mountain district the men were aU loyal 
Unionists, and perhaps she possessed the same 
Girl Scout instincts. 

“One night in a storm like to-night there 
was a sudden noise outside the house. A band 


10 


146 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


of northern soldiers had surrounded it. 
Jeanne^s family believed that she had be¬ 
trayed her own father. He was accused of 
aiding the South. He grew angry, and I 
don^t know what happened exactly, but he 
was killed. My grandmother ordered her 
daughter to leave the house that night and 
never allowed her to come back. Jeanne 
went north and nursed the Union soldiers, but 
was always writing and praying to be forgiven. 
She returned to this neighborhood when the 
war was over, but no one of the family ever 
saw her and she died soon after. Do you 
wonder that she is supposed to come back 
night after night begging to be taken indoors 
and wearing the same white frock she wore 
on the night she was driven forth by her own 
mother? 

Janets voice rrembled. 

^Ht may be my imagination, of course, but 
I really think I have seen her twice. At least, 
I have seen a white figure cross the lawn and 
try all the doors of the house without a sound 
and then vanish.” 

“Good gracious, Jane, what a dreadful 
story! What induced you to tell us? I 
would not have listened if I had dreamed 
what it was to be,” Tory Drew protested. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


147 


She had a headache before, but this gruesome 
tale had increased her discomfort physically 
and mentally. She possessed more imagina¬ 
tion and was more keenly sensitive than her 
companions. 

“Oh, well, I presume it is a rather sad story, 
but I have heard it so often I never think of 
anything much save the ghostly part. Do you 
believe I could have seen the ghost?’’ 

Dorothy McClain’s firm hand reached forth 
and drew her hostess backward. 

“Do try not to be so absurd, Jane Helm, 
and allow us a little time to sleep. There 
never was a ghost and there never will be one 
seen by material eyes. I suppose your Jeanne 
was a gallant Girl Scout, but it all happened 
so long ago. I can’t get up a great deal of 
emotion on the subject. Besides, I did not 
hear more than half the tale, I was asleep the 
rest of the time. Ann Craig, in spite of her 
early enthusiasm, is gently snoring. Please, 
not another single word from anyone to¬ 
night!” 

Half offended and yet willing to go to sleep 
at last, Jane relaxed. In less than three 
minutes three of the four girls were wrapped 
in profound slumber. 

Tory endeavored to follow their example. 


148 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


but was really too weary to sleep. She had 
found sleeping difficult for the past few nights 
after their long hours of tramping along the 
open road. To-night her hostesses determined 
conversation had fatigued her more than ever. 
Besides, her story of the Jeanne who had slept 
beneath this same roof and suffered so deeply 
for the love of her country was disquieting. 

Tory found herself wondering what sacrifices 
modern Girl Scouts would be willing to make 
for such a cause. 

A question so impossible to answer made 
her more than ever restless. 

Tory sat up in bed. The next instant she 
was on the floor and crossing the few feet of 
space to the open window, where the glory of 
the night would distract her from idle thinking. 

The old farm lay peaceful and serene. 
Beyond the back yard mth its bright beds of 
autumn flowers stood a large bam. In an 
upper window Tory thought she could see a 
light. This was probably the room Jane had 
mentioned occupied by Mr. DoUiver and Bob. 

Her glance fell to the ground beneath her 
window. Moving in a shaft of light was the 
figure of a girl with fair hair and in a white 
gown. 

Tory^s face whitened and her heart beat 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


149 


perilously fast. Then she rallied and her 
common sense and Scout training came to 
her aid. She was not by any chance beholding 
a ghost, for some unknown reason one of the 
girls in the old farmhouse had wandered 
outdoors in her night dress. Curious, when 
it was now long past midnight! 

Tory leaned out farther. If the girl were 
one of her own Patrol of Scouts she was 
deeply interested. They were being enter¬ 
tained by strangers and must in no way annoy 
or alarm their hosts. Should she try to find 
the Scout Captain? The house was an un¬ 
known one and she did not know how to 
discover Miss Frean without arousing the 
household. 

Tory placed a heavy coat about her shoul¬ 
ders and tiptoed out of the room. She might 
have wakened Dorothy or Ann Craig, but 
this would have aroused Jane Helm. Curi¬ 
ously she wished Jane not to know. If she 
really believed in her ghostly ancestress she 
would be alarmed. 


CHAPTER XII 


THE CALL 


ORY got downstairs and out the front 



door without disturbing anyone. Im- 


^ mediately she moved quietly and ’ 
quickly as possible around the side of the 
house, keeping within the shadow of the wall. 
Finally she reached the moonlit open space at 
the back. 

She could still see the figure of the girl 
walking slowly and unhesitatingly toward the 
barn. Here Mr. Helm kept a dozen horses 
as well as a large supply of grain and hay. 
Tory had paid a visit to the barn toward the 
late afternoon, as Jane Helm was in the 
habit of feeding her own riding horse, and had 
asked Tory to accompany her. 

Upon a second view of the mysterious figure 
Tory remained mystified. A few steps nearer 
and to her rehef she recognized not one of her 
own Patrol of Scouts, but the girl of the gold- 
covered canvas circus wagon. 

She wore only her nightgown and the white 
woolen shawl which had been wrapped about 


(150) 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


151 


her shoulders since her arrival. Her feet 
were bare. Her hair, which reached about to 
her shoulders, was partly braided and partly 
unbound. 

Tory hesitated. Had the ghostly visitant 
been one of her own friends, she would have 
gone to her at once and demanded an explana¬ 
tion of her behavior. But the present girl 
was an acquaintance of the open road. What 
did she know concerning her but the fanciful 
and somewhat to be doubted story told by her 
foster father? Undoubtedly she was going 
to him at this late hour of the night. Was 
she ill and lonely or did she wish to impart 
some information which would not wait for 
the coming of day? 

Tory, in spite of her imaginative quality, 
was not ordinarily distrustful. She was too 
intelligent and too kind. Yet at this moment 
she was uncomfortable and puzzled. What 
must she do? There was but little time in 
which to reach a decision as the other girl 
continued toward her goal. So far appar¬ 
ently she remained unaware that she was being 
watched. 

What Girl Scout rules met the present 
situation? Tory smiled whimsically. All 
the training of one’s life failed at critical 


152 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


moments to announce in exact formula what 
one must or must not do. One had to depend 
upon the character and intelligence built up 
by the discipline and experience. 

Without the shadow of a doubt she and Miss 
Frean and the Girl Scouts of her own Patrol 
owed every consideration to their host and 
hostesses. With only Tom Courtenay^s intro¬ 
duction and because they were Girl Scouts 
they were being treated with every courtesy 
and kindness. 

Surely “the Dollivers^^ owed an even deeper 
debt of gratitude! Rarely in their gypsy life 
could these three followers of the open road 
have met with such hospitality. The sudden 
storm and the slight illness of the girl had 
induced Mrs. Helm to offer them shelter and 
entertainment as well. 

Tory felt a shiver of distaste. What could 
have influenced the girl, now only a few feet 
away from her, to slip out of her bed at mid¬ 
night? She was breaking the laws of good 
manners. Then it occurred to Tory that 
Donna could have had but little training and 
that the surprising suavity of Mr. Dolliver 
was probably a cloak. 

Yet Tory Drew had been attracted by the 
delicate figure ahead of her. She had been 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


153 


mystified by her gentleness and refinement, 
and until this moment had believed her 
romantic story. In any case she wished her 
only good fortune. 

Moving a little more swiftly, Tory laid her 
hand gently on the other girFs arm, at the 
same time calling her by name. 

Before the name had more than passed her 
lips, she appreciated that the mystery was 
partly explained and the other girl was asleep. 

A shudder passed over her, her eyelids 
fluttered above her wide open eyes. Her 
breath came in httle broken gasps, and through 
her thin sleeve Tory found that her arm was 
hot and twitching nervously. 

Suddenly she was wide awake and staring 
first at her unexpected companion and then 
at the moonlit stretch of yard, the red brick 
farmhouse a century old, and the tall bam 
painted as nearly as possible the same color. 

“You must have been walking in your 
sleep,Tory explained. “Fortunately I was 
wakeful and saw you from an open window. 
I was puzzled and thought you might be one 
of my friends. I am glad I came down and 
wakened you without anyone’s knowing You 
might have been seriously hurt. Have you 
ever done this before? I have heard of people 


154 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


who walk in their sleep but I have never seen 
anyone. I am glad I did not frighten you.’^ 
^^Yes, but I am frightened/’ the other girl 
answered. suppose I must have been 
dreaming; I thought my father was in danger 
and was calling to me. You may not believe 
me, J know that it sounds like nonsense, but 
this has happened two or three timesbefore and 
always he has been in danger. How could 
I have managed to get out of doors in a strange 
house? And what, what will all of you think 
of me? Do you suppose we could get back 
without anyone seeing us? I will try to 
explain to Mrs. Helm in the morning. She 
has been so kind, suppose she happens not 
to trust me! I could see that Mr. Helm was 
troubled and suspicious of my father. If I 
could only make you understand that he is 
one of the kindest and gentlest of human 
beings and absolutely honest. He is like a 
child, I know, and likes to talk about himself 
and Bob and me. I must not keep you here in 
the cold. Thank you a thousand times! 
Do you think it best I tell Mrs. Helm to-night? 
You see, my room is next hers on the ground 
floor and I must have walked straight out 
the front door. I wonder if I could have 
unlocked the door. Why—” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


155 


Tory had considered her companion nerv¬ 
ous and unstrung a few moments before, but 
it was as nothing to her present collapse. 
Donna almost sank down to the ground. 

^^You don^t suppose, and yet it does look 
like—’’ She was in tears. Could Mr. or 
Mrs. Helm believe I unlocked the door and 
was going to father so that he might come 
into the house?’’ 

Tory placed her arms about the other girl’s 
shoulders. During her experience as a Girl 
Scout she had come in contact with a number 
of girls in various states of emotional excite¬ 
ment. She possessed the twin gifts of sym¬ 
pathy and understanding. Her own momen¬ 
tary doubt of Donna, brought on by the 
night, her own nervousness and sleeplessness, 
and Jane Helm’s tragic story, had completely 
vanished. Her companion was a girl like 
herself, but life had been more difficult for her 
and she was extremely sensitive and unstrung. 
Don’t be absurd, Donna! No one will 
suspect you of anything except what is true 
and what I can bear witness to. If Mrs. 
Helm hears us it will be best that we explain 
the situation at once. If she does not, I will 
awaken Jane and tell her. In the morning 
we can relate the mystery of my ghost to the 


156 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


entire household. I suppose you can imagine 
that I thought you were a ghost for an in¬ 
stant. Come, we are both nearly frozen, 
let us go indoors. I am afraid you will be ill 
in the morning and I know your father expects 
to start forth again on his journey. I believe 
we are to remain for another twenty-four 
hours. We may never see each other again, 
never on such a wonderful night and never 
under such strange circumstances. Let us 
look around us.’^ 

With her arm about the other girFs shoul¬ 
ders Tory gazed once more at the sky; the 
clouds had become more translucent, the moon 
a passing splendor. She breathed deeply the 
odors of the wet earth and the aromatic 
fragrances of the September flowers. 

'^Even an old barn is lovely in the moon¬ 
light!” she exclaimed. have been im¬ 
pressed by the fact that the barns are larger 
than the homes in the Kentucky farming 
country. I suppose it is a sign of pros¬ 
perity. How bright the moon shines there on 
the left corner of the barn! But how cold 
you are! It is selfish of me to go on talking! 
Memory Frean, our Scout Captain and my 
best beloved friend, insists that beauty makes 
me a little mad.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


157 


Tory dragged at her companion's arm, but 
Donna remained immovable, and showed no 
faintest sign of moving toward the shelter 
of the house. Inclined to be irritable when 
she was overexcited or overtired, Tory felt 
a wave of irritation at this moment. If need 
be she would go indoors and leave the other 
girl to stay out all night alone if she desired. 
For her own part, she had probably already 
taken cold and might have to be in bed next 
day. 

Tory started toward the house alone, under 
the impression that Donna would follow, but 
instead she heard her cry out with surprise 
and alarm. Then her voice became quiet and 
controlled. 

^^I was not mistaken, the lower end of the 
bam is on fire. My father and brother are 
sleeping in the rooms above. What shall we 
do? We must give the alarm.’^ 

Tory Drew^s first reaction was the thought 
that her companion had become delirious. 
She was frightened. WTiat a ridiculous story 
she had confided to her a few moments before, 
her own premonition of disaster to her father. 
Tory had no faith in psychic marvels. People 
were too fond of claiming mysterious gifts. 
However, curiosity impelled a casual second 
glance toward the moonlit bam. 


158 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Her companion was not mistaken. The 
crimson glow was not a reflection from the 
moon, for already little spurts of smoke were 
breaking through and tiny tongues of flame. 

Tory felt instantly calm and wide awake. 

Early in the afternoon she had observed a 
great bell near the kitchen door of the farm¬ 
house and inquiring the reason for its presence 
was told the bell was to summon the men in 
case of need. 

She ran quickly toward the house and an 
instant later the clamor broke forth. 


CHAPTER XIII 


so AS BY FIRE 

C LINGING to her Scout Captain^s arm, 
Tory Drew realized that never before 
had she felt more thrilled or more 

useless. 

Now the yard was filled with moving 
figures, yet her eyes remained fastened on 
the flame-lit splendor of the burning bam. 

Less than a moment after the ringing of the 
great beU, Mr. Helm himself had answered 
the alarm. A short time after the four colored 
men who worked on the place and had their 
cabins near by appeared. In hastily donned 
costumes Mrs. Helm, Jane Helm and the Girl 
Scouts poured forth from the house. Soon 
after Donald McClain and Tom Courtenay 
followed, prepared for service. To Donna and 
to Tory shortly it looked as if people sprang 
up everywhere. Of the household only Kath¬ 
erine Hehn lingered until she was properly 
and becomingly dressed. 

At this instant Tory clutched Miss Frean^s 
arm. The volunteer fire company composed 

( 169 ) 


160 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


of neighbors was rushing into the yard with a 
great tooting of motor horns. Straightway 
they were at their task and yet still the barn 
flared on. 

Now there were other and more tragic 
noises, the neighing and snorting of the 
horses that were inside the burning inclosure. 

^^Jane says her father does not care about 
the loss of the barn if only the horses can be 
saved! Jane is weeping her eyes out over her 
own horse,’’ Tory whispered, ^^but Donna has 
never moved or spoken. Their old circus 
horse was put in the barn for the night, and 
I expect the Dolliver circus will be an even 
sorrier performance with the solitary horse 
that draws the gold-covered canvas wagon 
gone. It is the horse Donna rides when they 
are giving an exhibition. Do you believe the 
fantastic story her queer father told us?” 

The Scout Captain nodded. 

^^Why not? We have no reason to disbe¬ 
lieve it, Tory dear, and I think we ought not 
to think people untruthful without reason. 
I told you from the moment I saw the girl I 
was puzzled and attracted by her. She does 
seem so different from the man and boy, and 
yet this does not necessarily mean they are 
not of the same blood. One sometimes sees 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


161 


an equal unlikeness in persons of the very 
same family. I am afraid Donna is not 
thinking of their horse, she must be worried 
over her father and brother.^’ 

Tory frowned and bit her lips. 

^^They came out of the barn the moment 
after we rang the bell. I saw Donna run 
toward her father and throw her arms about 
his neck as if she never intended to let go. 
I have something strange to tell you when 
there is time. You don^t know how Donna 
and I chanced to find out the bam was on 
fire, do you?” 

Memory Frean shook her head. 

She was looking not at Tory but at the 
girl standing a few yards away, a slender, 
solitary figure in a thin white gown with a 
heavy woolen shawl drawn tightly about her. 

^^Mr. Dolliver and Bob have both gone 
back into the barn to attempt to bring out the 
horses,” she explained. ^^It is curious, no 
animal is so frightened by a fire as a horse, and 
it makes it so difficult to manage them.” 

Tory shivered. 

Don’t you think we ought to go and stand 
by Donna? She is such a stranger. Of course 
the Helms are at home and the Girl Scouts 
have you and one another.” 


11 


162 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


Tory^s speech ended with a little gasp of 
admiration and of terror. 

A fresh \\dnd had sprung up. The clouds 
still sped by, but seen through the moist 
atmosphere they were lighted like Aurora^s 
famous chariot and steeds. A tongue of 
flame was bursting through the roof of the 
bam. 

Mr. Helm’s voice could be heard above the 
uproar. 

^^Move back, everybody. Don’t crowd so 
close. Danger!” 

Tory and the Scout Captain took a few 
steps toward the girl they had been discussing. 

They had seen her stiffen and then run 
forward, plainly not intending to obey the 
recent command. 

Donna,” the Scout Captain called, wam- 
ingly, speaking as she would have spoken to 
one of her own Girl Scouts and for the moment 
unaware that the strange girl was not under 
her guardianship. She understood at once 
that fear had made Donna deaf and blind and 
unconscious of her own danger. 

At any second now the barn might collapse. 
She could not be sure, but she had not seen 
her father and brother come forth. Were 
they somewhere amid the excited crowd? 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


163 


The wind blew more fiercely, but fortunately 
away from the Helm homestead. Hundreds 
of flying sparks illuminated the night. 

In and out among the little crowd the girl, 
Donna, managed to make her way with as¬ 
tonishing quickness. No one seemed to ob¬ 
serve her save Tory Drew and Miss Frean. 
They were not close enough to stop her. 
Now and then she seemed to pause for half 
an instant to search for one or the other of 
the two persons she hoped to find. 

Then she was standing alone in a cleared 
space. No human being was near. There 
was a confusion of shouts, warnings and 
directions. 

Tory and the Scout Captain were at once 
frightened and proud. It had seemed to-night 
that there was no work for the Girl Scouts to 
undertake, no way in which they could render 
aid. The business of rescue, if it were pos¬ 
sible, must be left to the men. They were 
gathered for that purpose and to intrude even 
to offer help would be to make the situation 
more perilous and uncertain. 

Now at the same instant Tory and Memory 
Frean observed Tom Courtenay and Dorothy 
McClain dart out from the crowd toward the 
solitary figure. They came from opposite 


164 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


directions, yet reached Donna at the same 
time. Together they brought her back toward 
the fringe of onlookers and Dorothy stood 
with her arm close about the girl, as if to 
prevent her from’ darting forward a second 
time. 

Why were the bystanders so silent and 
attentive? 

Mr. Helm stood within a few yards of his 
bam, but no one was with him. Evidently 
he had ordered everyone else away for some 
purpose. He was in no present danger, yet 
Tory and the Scout Captain could hear Jane 
Helm crying and her mother trying to comfort 
her. An expectancy that was part curiosity 
and part awe had stilled the little throng. 

Tory could only cling closer to her beloved 
friend^s arm, waiting as if a curtain were about 
to be lifted upon the thrilling act of a play. 
This scene was not acting but reality and the 
more thrilling. 

The double barn doors had fallen in and 
now formed a pathway of burning embers. 
The damp hay that had caused the conflagra¬ 
tion smouldered and then burned as if it were 
a thousand tongues of fire. Above the roaring 
of the fire the stamping and snorting of the 
horses could still be heard. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


165 


A boy ran forth, not leading, but dragging 
a horse at the end of a short rope. The little 
crowd broke into a cheer. 

The boy was Donna^s brother. Bob DoUiver. 

Through the increasing smoke and flame 
another man emerged, one of the colored 
stable boys. At the sight of the crowd or for 
whatever reason, the horse he was rescuing 
broke away and rushed back inside the bam. 
The man himself fell, overcome with the smoke 
and exhaustion. Two of his friends carried 
him to his own cabin. 

Still the group of men and women and girls 
stood waiting. 

Mr. Helm was again shouting. Only the 
few persons standing near could understand 
what he was saying. Neither Tory nor the 
Scout Captain could distinguish a word above 
the crackling and sputtering of the fire. Cer¬ 
tainly it never had burned brighter or flared 
higher than at this instant. 

Suddenly there was a new tumult. 

The group of watchers instinctively moved 
a few steps farther back. Above the other 
noises one could distinctly hear the pounding 
of the feet of not one, but several horses. 
Again it seemed as if a curtain unrolled. 
Certainly for the moment the smoke and 



16G 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


flames curled upward. Through the burning 
opening where the barn doors had been, three 
horses rushed forth, blindfolded and driven by 
a tall, thin man with a foreign appearance. 
He was standing upon the broad back of a 
former circus horse and cracking a long whip. 

^^Good gracious, Memory Frean, Mr. DoUi- 
ver is doing one of his circus acts!^^ Tory 
Drew exclaimed. And then half laughing and 
half crying, ^Hs he amusing or heroic?'' 

There was no question with regard to the 
success of his act. Circumstances made it 
appear even more dramatic than Mr. Ignatius 
Dolliver could have anticipated. As the four 
horses and their driver reached safe ground, 
the bam itself gave way and the walls collapsed 
inward. 

Hah an hour later Tory Drew entered the 
small room adjoining Mrs. Helm's. She was 
carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and crack¬ 
ers. Daylight was approaching. Downstairs 
the Girl Scouts and the Scout Captain were 
assisting Mrs. Helm and Jane Helm in pre¬ 
paring food for their neighbors and guests. 
The fire had speedily burned itself out and at 
present there were only a few smoldering 
embers. No one seemed to wish to return 
home. Sleep seemed out of the question 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


167 


and they preferred discussing the evening^s 
adventures. 

Tory found the little girl of the gold-covered 
canvas circus wagon sitting up in bed with her 
chin resting on her clasped hands. The 
white woolen shawl that had never been cast 
aside all evening was still about her shoulders. 
She looked less ill and haggard than Tory had 
expected to find her. As a matter of fact, she 
was smiling. She had turned on the electric 
light near her bed so there was no mistaking 
the fact. 

“Your father and brother are downstairs in 
the kitchen having supper. Mrs. Helm says 
you are not to worry. They seem not to have 
been injured. Your father^s clothes were 
burned and his hands are a little singed. He 
says the burns are not worth attention, but 
Mrs. Helm insists on taking care of him. She 
wants you to tr}^ to eat this if you will. You 
Were ill or you would never have stopped at 
the farm and you may be worse after such an 
adventure.^’ 

Donna took the offering. 

“Yes, I am hungry, thank you. Won’t you 
stay and talk to me a moment or must you 
hurry to bed? You and I ought to be equally 
worn out. I am not troubled. My father 


168 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


has been in to see me and we had a few minutes^ 
conversation. You know he is enjoying him¬ 
self. He likes an audience and adores being a 
hero. He used always to have people applaud¬ 
ing him and saying how brave and fine he was. 
And now he can no longer do his old circus 
acts it has been awfully hard for him to give 
up and play second fiddle to Bob and me. 
Yet you must not misunderstand me, he is as 
brave as possible and would have done just 
what he did with no one looking on.^^ 

Tory sat down upon the edge of the bed. 

^Hn any case it was perfectly thrilling, 
everyone has agreed. We have all concluded 
it was a piece of good fortune, our meeting in 
such a strange fashion, travelers, all of us, 
along the open road. Mrs. Helm insists we 
must remain a few days and learn to know one 
another better. As soon as you finish eating 
I must say good-night. The Girl Scouts of 
the Eaglets Wing send you their greetings and 
good wishes.’^ 


CHAPTER XIV 


AN AUTUMN HILLSIDE 

T WO girls were sitting upon a rise of 
ground looking down into the orchard. 
The earth beneath the trees was cov¬ 
ered with scarlet and golden fruit, the air was 
pungent with the odors of ripening and decay¬ 
ing vegetation. Not far off was a charred 
mass of embers where a bam had stood. The 
house itself was shadowy in the late afternoon 
sunshine. 

shall come back to Kentucky some day, 
now that the other girls of my Scout Patrol 
and the Scout Captain have gone to Mammoth 
Cave, leaving us behind. I seemed to have 
missed a good many of the pleasures of our 
journey, but suppose I should not complain. 
Dorothy McClain and I had the eventful ten 
days in the mountain cabin with Tom Court¬ 
enay, and except for Tom we should never 
have been invited to the Helm farm, and then 
I should never have known you, Donna.^’ 

Yes, that would have been a misfortune!^’ 
The other girl smiled. “ I am sorry you were 

( 169 ) 


170 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


ill after our night of excitement and sorry I 
have been a nuisance. But it has been won¬ 
derful, having this chance to talk to you mth 
the other girls away. I suppose you cannot 
even reaUze what an odd life I have led. I 
have never known any girls, never stayed 
more than a few moments at a time in any 
single place, and never been to school with 
any regularity. I have tried to study and 
read as we have traveled along the open road 
in the canvas wagon. But so much of my 
time and strength has to be given to learning 
to dance and ride and jump through paper 
hoops, there isn^t much opportunity for other 
things. When I was a little girl I did not 
seem to mind, but of late I have hated every¬ 
thing about it. Sometimes I feel I cannot go 
on. I have been feeling this since we came 
to the farmhouse and Mr. and Mrs. Helm have 
been so kind and treated father and Bob and 
me as if we were really human beings and not 
circus clowns. Do you dream what I would 
give this afternoon if I could be a Girl Scout 
and learn what you know and lead the sort of 
life you lead? I would give ten years of my 
own life. Indeed, I would give a good deal 
more of it as I don’t care a snap about living 
except for father.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


171 


Tory frowned and was silent. 

She knew a great many girls and was con¬ 
stantly meeting new’ ones through her mem¬ 
bership and interest in the Scouts. Because 
she possessed imagination and sympathy more 
frequently to her than to her friends the new 
girls confided their histories and their ambi¬ 
tions. In her present companion, she was 
seeing a unique side of the tragic-comedy of 
existence. She had known discontentment 
and rebellion. She had felt both herself, when 
compelled to give up her wandering life in 
Europe with her artist father to dwell in the 
small town of Westhaven with her old maid 
aunt and old bachelor uncle, Miss Victoria 
Fenton and Mr. Richard Fenton. In her own 
Patrol of Scouts, Joan Peters was troubled by 
her father’s inability to make a success among 
his many inventions, by poverty and the effort 
to try to make ends meet. Louise Miller was 
studious and awkward and unappreciated by 
her pretty, small-minded mother and harassed 
father. Teresa Peterson longed for beauty 
and ease and refinement, and notwithstanding 
her father’s wealth found none of her desires 
satisfied in her own home. 

Hastily at this moment Tory Drew was 
reviewing her own past and the past of the 


I 


172 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


girls with whom she was most intimately and 
closely associated. No one of them had a 
problem to meet in the least like the problem 
of the girl beside her. What could Donna do 
to escape from so uncongenial a career? She 
must continue to support the foster father 
who was so devoted to her, and she knew 
nothing except what he had taught her. One 
could scarcely imagine the boy, Bob, ever 
being able to do more than support himself. 
Yet it required an effort to associate her 
present companion with the gold-covered 
canvas wagon, bearing the flaring title, ^‘The 
Dolhvers,^’ or with the dust and heat and 
crowds in the streets and the poor little circus 
performance. 

Tory stole a glance at the profile near her. 
Donna was white and fragile as a wayside lily. 
One might imagine Ann Craig, the girl from 
the Kentucky mountains who had joined their 
Patrol at the close of the summer in Mystery 
Valley, facing a crowd, indifferent and defiant. 
Tory remembered to have seen Ann on a day 
when the river was about to flood the valley. 
She had been superb. She had done her work 
and failed to pay any attention to the throng 
about her, save when it was necessary to com¬ 
mand or coax them. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


173 


Donna, whose actual name was not Donna 
but Viola Foster, from Shakespeare^s lovely 
heroine, was of no such caliber. 

You can be a Girl Scout if you wish,^^ Tory 
answered, brushing aside for the instant the 
more important and more diflBcult issue. ^^The 
mere fact that you travel about with your 
father and brother and earn your living and 
theirs by riding and dancing, does not in any 
way prevent you from being a Girl Scout. 
When Miss Frean comes back to the farm 1^11 
ask her to give you the tenderfoot test or at 
least to prepare you for it. I have a Scout 
manual that I always carry with me in case 
any one might like to see it. May I give it to 
you? You can read it as you travel and wait 
your chance for taking the Scout tests. I 
know Memory Frean will be interested to help 
you in any way possible. She says you attract 
her more than any girl she has seen in a long 
time. I think she is sorry for you.^’ 

Tory flushed, ordinarily she was not tactless, 
but her final speech was not discriminating. 

Her companion, however, did not appear 
offended. She seemed not to have heard. 
She was not looking down into the orchard 
but at the quiet, lovely farmhouse set with 
serene dignity amid its shading of old trees 


174 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


and representing everything she had missed 
in life, 

“Do you know I often think my mother 
girlhood was spent in some sheltered plaee 
like this. She must have hated it and broken 
away from the restraint and the dullness. 
Sometimes I think I should dearly love it/^ 
Donna murmured. 

She was talking to her not half so much as 
to herself, Tory appreciated. Notwithstand¬ 
ing, she felt impelled to reply. 

“You would tire of it too, Donna, donT you 
think, after a short time? You have led such 
a roving, adventurous life on the open road, 
your experiences must have gotten into your 
blood more than you realize. Of course, the 
girls know it must be hard, but several of them 
are a little envious of you. DonT you remem¬ 
ber you and your father told us that you 
planned to be an actress and follow your 
mother^s profession? Surely the idea makes 
the present easier for you! When I am dis¬ 
couraged with myself, when I have failed in 
my duties as a Scout and when the girls are 
cross and Miss Frean annoyed and my uncle 
and aunt bored with me, I dream of the day 
when I am going to be a great artist. Then 
nothing really matters.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


175 


Tory Drew was in earnest and yet joking. 

Her companion laughed. 

Yes, Tory, but I am not so gifted a dreamer 
as you are. I sometimes wonder if I really do 
want to be an actress or if it is only my father^s 
idea for me. He does not like my doing what 
I have to do, he only pretends, so much of his 
life has been just pretense. I have agreed 
with him because it was my mother^s hfe and 
there seems nothing else. J would rather be a 
Scout Captain I sometimes think.” 

^^DonT you wonder about your mother^s 
family?” Tory asked. “You must wish to 
know their name and where they hve. Miss 
Frean and I have decided you should appeal 
to them, if there is any way of finding out who 
they are. They would be sure to care for you 
and do something for you. You must be four¬ 
teen or fifteen and canT wait so much longer 
if you really want an education. One could 
never guess from the way you speak. Miss 
Frean thinks they must be people of good 
breeding, as it would account for so much that 
puzzles one in you. There, forgive me. I do 
recall that in ^Alice in the Looking-Glass^ one 
is told not to make personal remarks. I have 
been doing nothing else in talking to you all 
afternoon.” 


176 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


^^Oh, well, I have wanted you to, it has 
made these days so wonderful having another 
girl to talk things over with. Do you know 
Mr. Helm has asked Bob to stay on at the 
farm and work for him this winter and go to 
school? Bob is crazy to accept, although he 
declines to leave father and me.” 

Donna’s pale cheeks flamed into two bright 
spots of color. 

do know my mother’s family name. 
Why should you think I did not? I have 
known since I was a small girl. There were 
letters and papers and odds and ends of jewelry 
and old photographs in a box that were kept 
for me. I used often to play with them by the 
hour when I was younger. They kept me 
amused when we traveled.” 

Tory was surprised into a moment of silence. 

The September day was closing in purple 
and gold. 

At a window Mrs. Helm appeared and 
waved a signal, suggesting the two girls return 
to the house. She was alone except for them 
and her cook and maid. Mr. Helm had gone 
away upon business, taking Mr. DoUiver with 
him. Katherine Helm soon after the fire had 
departed for Tom Courtenay’s home in Lex¬ 
ington, insisting that her nerves were so dis- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


177 


turbed that she required diversion. Jane 
Helm had accompanied the Scout Captain, 
Girl Scouts, Tom and Donald, upon their trip 
to Mammoth Cave. 

Tory and Donna arose slowly. There was 
no reason why they should hasten into the 
house and the late afternoon was enchanting. 

^^Then you have written your mother 
family and they have declined to make 
friends?’’ Tory inquired. She was being 
frankly curious. 

Donna shook her head. 

^^No, I have never communicated with them 
in any way. It was my mother’s wish that I 
never should. I don’t see why she was so 
bitter, for two or three of the letters are kind. 
I shall always respect her wish. Besides, if I 
should ever make friends with her family they 
would try to separate me from my father. I 
shall never leave him for any reason. Please 
tell me more of how I can become a Girl Scout. 
It is so much more important than talking of 
the past!” 

The two companions were walking slowly 
down the hill. The ground had not been 
cleared and once or twice Tory stumbled. 
The adjoining field was covered with blue- 
grass and separated by a low stone fence. 


12 


178 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


Suppose we cross over into the other field. 
It looks ever so much pleasanter. Thank for¬ 
tune there are no cows. It is a confession I 
do not like to make, but I am desperately 
afraid of cows and dogs. The other girls 
haven^t the slightest sympathy for me. I 
was not brought up in the country, and—oh, 
well, why try to explain our fear complexes?’' 

The stone fence was easily chmbed. The 
two girls walked on more rapidly, not talk¬ 
ing, but each one thinking of the other. If 
circumstances made it possible they were 
capable of a rare friendship. 

There was no one else in sight or hearing. 
The evening quiet was setthng on the country¬ 
side. Suddenly they stopped abruptly, Donna 
a little in advance of Tory. 

Without the slightest warning of his ap¬ 
proach a young bull was rushing toward them 
across the meadow with lowered head. 

Tory felt an instant collapse of her nerve 
and energy. She was mortally ashamed, but 
her only impulse was to sink upon the ground, 
helpless and hopeless with fear. 

She was startled by the sharpness of her 
companion’s tone. 

^^Run as fast as possible, Tory. Keep call¬ 
ing for help.” 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


179 


Tory, without thinking, did as she was com¬ 
manded. As she stumbled and ran she was 
under the impression that her companion was 
following. Their predicament was so absurd, 
and yet the danger was real. A few moments 
and she was over the fence that they had 
climbed a short time before. 

Then she looked for Donna. 

Immediately in front of the angry bull she 
beheld Donna, dancing as nimbly as upon 
the afternoon of her performance before the 
street crowd in the little town of Twin Mules. 

She had removed the white w^oolen shawl 
that she had been w^earing so constantly and 
was waving it in a bewildering fashion before 
the lowered head of the bull. 

Torj^ was torn betw^een admiration and 
terror and compunction. Donna had made 
her seek safety at the expense of her own peril. 
She might keep the bull from advancing so 
long as she could continue to worry and frus¬ 
trate it, but w^hen she wearied or when she 
turned to run, what chance had she not to be 
trampled? Surely no one had ever beheld so 
graceful a matador as the girl in the w^hite 
cotton frock with the short, unbound gold 
hair and the w’oolen scarf! 

As Tory marveled at the same time she was 


180 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


calling for aid at the top of her lungs. Either 
the two men in the orchard who were gathering 
fruit heard her cries or else had seen what was 
occurring. Armed with two long poles with 
prongs at the end, they came charging up the 
hiU. 

Ten minutes later Donna’s arm was about 
Tory and they were entering the house. 

*^It is absurd to make so much of nothing, 
Tory. It was probably ridiculous of us to be 
frightened. When one is in the farming 
country one has to go through such experi¬ 
ences. But whoever would have dreamed that 
I could use my skill as a circus performer in 
rescuing a Girl Scout? Aren’t you a disgrace 
to the whole organization of Girl Scouts?” 

And Donna’s teasing laughter was gayer 
and happier than in many a long day. 


CHAPTER XV 


MAMMOTH CAVE 

U PON the same afternoon of Donna^s 
and Tory’s hillside talk, the Girl 
Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing, their Cap¬ 
tain, Donald McClain and Tom Courtenay 
alighted at the dilapidated little wooden depot 
at Cave City. 

Part of the day’s journey to the famous cave 
had been made in a long hike on the open road, 
the latter part by train. The trip through 
the cave would be sufficiently fatiguing, and 
although they had the night’s rest before them, 
the travelers wished to arise fresh and rested 
at an early hour in the morning. 

In planning their trip along the open road, 
there had been no thought of a visit to Mam¬ 
moth Cave; as a matter of fact, Mr. Helm was 
responsible for a sudden decision. 

Surely it is not possible that you can be 
so near one of the greatest wonders of the 
world and make no effort to see it,” he pro¬ 
tested to Miss Frean. ^^Who knows when 
any one of you will return to Kentucky and 

( 181 ) 


182 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


in later years one always regrets the oppor¬ 
tunities one has missed! The man who has 
charge of the hotel near the Cave is an old 
acquaintance and if you decide upon the 
excursion I’ll telegraph ahead and ask that 
he make you as comfortable as possible. I 
suppose Donald and Tom will be rehable 
escorts. If you desire the experiences of the 
open road the country about the cave is as 
interesting as in any other part of the state. 
My own opinion is you would make a very 
great mistake to miss it.” 

Now as the Scout Captain glanced about 
her she felt a little tremor, partly from excite¬ 
ment, partly from apprehension. 

The town of Cave City was not inspiring. 

A rickety and ancient Ford truck waited at 
the depot to bear the knapsacks and bags and 
the travelers who preferred to ride rather than 
walk to the Cave City hotel. 

It was late in the afternoon, a chill wind 
had blown up and the autumn foliage that an 
hour before had been radiant with color and 
life was now shivering and shrinking and 
drifting into thick and whirling eddies. 

The Scout Captain missed Tory Drew. 
She apologized to herself for her greater affec¬ 
tion for Tory with the explanation that she 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


183 


had known her before any other member of 
her Scout troop. She also had a deep friend¬ 
ship for Tory’s bachelor uncle, Richard Fen¬ 
ton, and in their youth the affection between 
them had been greater than mere friendship. 
Moreover, Tory’s ardent artist nature, her 
deep enthusiasms, her impetuous action, her 
wilfulness and sweetness had a peculiar hold 
on many people. But if Tory had not ap¬ 
peared strong enough for the strenuous trip 
through the cave she had not been sufficiently 
ill to cause the slightest uneasiness. ' She had 
only suffered from cold and fatigue after the 
night of excitement. Her latest enthusiasm, 
Donna Foster, was in much the same condi¬ 
tion, so Tory would have the consolation of 
her companionship. 

Miss Frean climbed into the truck, followed 
by the girls, except Ann Craig and Dorothy 
McClain, who preferred to accompany Tom 
and Donald. 

The houses along the way were wooden 
structures devoid of paint and somewhat 
dilapidated. Cave City appeared to exist for 
the sake of the cave, as one occasionally sees 
a down-at-the-heels family brought into prom¬ 
inence by the possession of a genius in their 
midst. The lights in the windows were being 


184 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


lighted and the Scout Captain became inter¬ 
ested in the conversation of her girls. 

^^Do you know, I long to see Mammoth 
Cave and yet somehow dread descending into 
the bowels of the earth,Joan Peters re¬ 
marked, speaking more directly to her intimate 
friend, Margaret Hale, yet including the 
others. wonder if any one else feels as 
Ido?’^ 

Margaret Hale, the calmest and best poised 
of the eight girls in her Patrol, laughed. 

Don’t take our adventure so seriously, 
Joan. After all, there are many marvels upon 
the face of the earth that people manage to 
accept serenely. I suppose the cave is alarm¬ 
ing in places. I have heard stories of its dark 
caverns, of its mysterious river where the fish 
are blind.” 

Teresa Peterson shivered and caught hold 
of the Scout Captain’s hand. 

^^May I stay near you. Miss Frean, during 
the entire trip through the cave? Remember, 
everybody, I asked first. I heard such a 
gruesome story of the cave when I was a 
little girl. A man was lost from the rest of 
his party. He had no food with him, only a 
candle, but he divided the candle into three 
parts, deciding to eat a portion each day. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


185 


In three days he believed his friends would 
surely discover him. He had eaten the third 
piece of candle when the guide came back for 
him and he had been lost just three hours 
instead of three days.’^ 

The Scout Captain smiled, the girls laughed, 
but there was a certain sympathetic under¬ 
standing in their laughter. 

Well, one does not have to depend entirely 
upon candles at the present time! I believe 
a portion of the cave is lighted by electricity. 
All I ask is, please let us go to bed early. 
We are to get up at six and start upon our 
trip through the cave at seven. I suppose 
there will be a few other people with us, but 
not a great number, as the tourist season is 
over.” 

As a matter of fact, there were no other 
travelers in their car except a middle-aged 
man who looked as if he might be a professor 
of science or mathematics, and a country 
woman too gayly dressed. 

Louise Miller, who was interested in science;, 
glanced at the man with interest. She was 
curious to know if he had come to Mammoth 
Cave to make a geological study of the strata 
of earth inside the cave. Louise possessed a 
curious ambition for a young girl; she was 


186 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


intensely anxious to become a geologist. Her 
opportunities for study, however, were limited 
to her expeditions with the Girl Scouts and to 
the information the Scout Captain and the 
science teacher at the High School in West- 
haven could bestow upon her. They advised 
her to read certain books, but as Louise^s 
family was poor and she had no hope of going 
to college her outlook as a scientist was not a 
bright one at present. However, a girFs am¬ 
bition is not easily crushed. 

Dinner will be served in half an hour,^^ a 
southern voice drawled, as the Scout Captain 
and five of her Patrol entered the Cave City 
hotel. 

^^Well, I shall not object. Please tell 
Dorothy and Ann to come directly to their 
rooms as soon as they arrive. I want every¬ 
body to promise me to be in bed by nine 
o’clock. The cave is not far away, I believe, 
and this will give us time after dinner to walk 
over and stare into the opening if we like.” 

It was only eight o’clock, however, when the 
little party of friends returned to the hotel 
following a short walk after dinner. They 
had concluded to wait until the next day for 
their first view of the entrance to the Cave 
and had walked in the opposite direction. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


187 


They were climbing the steps of the hotel 
when Tom Courtenay remarked unexpectedly: 

^^Miss Frean, do you mind if Dorothy 
McClain sits out of doors and has a talk with 
me for half an hour or so? I promise to see 
that she comes up to her room by liine” 

An instant the Scout Captain hesitated, 
then nodded her head in agreement. She 
was a little surprised by the request; Tom 
and Dorothy had been able to see each other 
at any time during the day. However, they 
had passed through an unusual experience 
together in the cabin in the mountains and 
had the right to an unusual friendship. 

If the Scout Captain was surprised, Dorothy 
was more so, and a little bored as well, She 
was tired and wanted to go to bed. She 
could not imagine what confidence Tom 
Courtenay wished to pour into her ears. With 
six brothers she had been listening to their 
dreams and desires for as long as she could 
remember. 

^^Oh, very well, Tom, but please get my 
heavy coat. It is too cold outdoors with only 
my Scout jacket,^^ she conceded, not very 
amiably. 

Outside the hotel there was an effort at a 
garden. A few wooden benches were placed 


188 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


beneath the trees to tempt the summer 
tourists. A few flower beds filled with strag¬ 
gling autumn flowers decorated the lawn. 

Tom chose seats under an old tree, with the 
ground beneath littered with round corrugated 
balls large as green oranges. In the starlight 
the entire scene was softened and idealized. 

Placing her hand to her lips, Dorothy was 
under the impression that she carefully con¬ 
cealed a yawn. 

She was chagrined to discover Tom smiling 
down upon her. Dorothy^s attitude toward 
him amused and annoyed Tom Courtenay. 
He was under the impression that he liked 
her because she was so straightforward and 
direct. This had been his conclusion in their 
ten days together in the mountain cabin, but 
occasionally the same characteristics were 
irritating. Any other young girl of his ac¬ 
quaintance would have shown pleasure at the 
prospect of a talk with him alone and under 
the present circumstances, especially as he 
really had something important to say. 

Sorry you are tired, Dorothy, IT get 
through with what I want to talk about in a 
hurry. Jane Helm tells me that you were 
surprised I had never mentioned my secret 
ambition either to you or Tory in the days 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


189 


we were in the cabin. We talked so inti¬ 
mately of so many things. The truth is I 
had promised my mother to think the whole 
situation over quietly and not to speak of it 
to any human being for a time. I am sure 
she would not object to my talking to you 
now. You are so soon to meet, I hope, in my 
own home/' 

Tom was speaking in his most charming 
and courteous manner, the manner that had 
impressed Dorothy. It was so unlike the 
awkwardness and self-consciousness of her 
brothers and their friends. Neverthel^, she 
frowned. 

^^No, it was not the question of your telling 
or not telling us, Tom. I was surprised to 
hear you wanted to be an actor. I was not 
only surprised, I was disappointed. It seems 
so childish and foolish of you to talk of giving 
up coUege and the opportunities you have in 
life just for a boy's fancy. I don't know why 
exactly, but I thought you were different from 
the other boys I know, more experienced and 
more mature. Yet no one of my Boy Scout 
friends would dream of being so reckless. It 
is different somehow with my brother Lance. 
I told you that Lance had gone abroad to 
study music and means to be a great pianist. 



190 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


But Lance had no choice. He is a genius. 
But you, Tom Courtenay, you are not. You 
probably have not even a great deal of talent 
for acting. You have told me all your family 
have been lawyers and country gentlemen.’^ 
Tom Courtenay had thought of himself as 
a man and Dorothy McClain as a young girl 
to whom he could be kind, even patronizing 
if the situation demanded it. Now she was 
talking to him as if he w^ere ten years younger. 

He was angry, and yet after all he had 
invited the present lecture. 

Tom stiffened and became sulky. Dorothy 
had known her own brothers to behave in the 
same fashion but somehow had believed Tom 
had more self-control. His attitude was 
superior and a little scornful. 

Dorothy found herself flushing; she wns 
glad of the cool night air that touched her 
hot cheeks and temples. 

Never mind, Dorothy, I did not ask your 
opinion upon what I plan to do with my fu¬ 
ture. I was only confiding the fact to you. 
I have enough to contend with in my own 
family. Suppose we do not speak of this 
again. There is something else I want to 
say that you may think more interesting and 
important.’’ 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


191 


Tom’s manner grew more agreeable. 

“It is about the Dollivers. A queer trio, 
aren’t they? Have you ever beheld three 
human beings more unlike? The girl is 
refined and as much a lady as if she had been 
brought up in the most sheltered fashion. 
And yet what a life! The boy is a good enough 
kid, but he is dull and about as interesting as 
a farm horse, while Mr. Ignatius Dolliver is 
a great old mountebank. One does not know 
whether to admire him or to laugh at him. 
I wonder whether he is a Dickens character or 
first cousin to the Beloved Vagabond. In 
any case, I find myself liking him tremen¬ 
dously. I wish I could change places with the 
girl this winter and wander over the country 
in the gold-covered canvas wagon. Why in 
the name of all that’s holy because I happen 
to have a father who is rich and a mother who 
is beautiful and fond of society must I be 
forced to lead a conventional life? I tell you 
I detest conventions, I detest society, I am 
bored with college and bored with having all 
the small things in life I want and none of 
the big.” 

Tom’s fierceness was so unexpected and so 
unlike him that Dorothy became subdued. 

“Yes, Tom, go on. What is it you wanted 


192 


THE GHIL SCOUTS 


to suggest about the Dollivers? They are 
interesting. Miss Frean declares that if she 
had the money she would like to take Donna 
with her to Westhaven. She is already to 
have Ann Craig of Mystery Valley, and she 
cannot be like the ^Old Woman Who Lived 
in a Shoe.’ Besides, the girl, Donna, insists 
she will never leave her absurd father.” 

^^Oh, well,” Tom Courtenay defended, 
“perhaps he is not so absurd. It is a great 
mistake to make a pattern, Dorothy, and 
expect everybody to conform to it. This is 
one of the dangers of growing up in a small 
town as you have. You will have to be 
careful. I have talked a lot to Mr. DoUiver. 
One thing I have discovered, he is brave and 
kind and devoted. That is a good deal, 
isn’t it? Well, at present he is down and 
out as far as money goes. I expect, except 
for the gold-covered canvas wagon and their 
old nag, five dollars would cover their worldly 
capital. And the winter is coming on and 
the girl isn’t well enough for the life she must 
lead. Not that he has complained or begged, 
remember, I only dragged all this out of him. 
Now my scheme is to suggest that when we 
start off on our open road hike toward Lexing¬ 
ton the gold-covered canvas wagon accom- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


193 


panies us. The Dollivers need not be near 
enough to our party to excite attention. I 
know Miss Frean would not stand for that, 
but they could move along reasonably close 
and we could find out now and then how they 
were making out. When they give one of 
their pathetic, tragic little shows we could 
stand around and pretend to be an enthusi¬ 
astic audience. It would draw a crowd, a 
few interested spectators always can arouse 
a lot of; curiosity and excitement in other 
people. When we reach home if all 'goes 
well and you make us the visit I am counting 
upon, let^s give a benefit for them. It might 
set them up for the winter,^give the girl Donna 
a chance to attend school. The Lexington 
Scouts would be tremendously interested in a 
Scout entertainment) Iby a visiting Patrol. 
Then I will have a chance to show you what 
a mortal poor actor I am. One cheerful fact, 
I canT be any worse than you believe me. 
Mother is not going to be very enthusiastic 
over the Dollivers at first, and I am poor as a 
church mouse at present, having spent my 
entire summer’s allowance. But no one can 
object to our benefit entertainment, and I am 
rather counting upon the girl who has spent 
her entire life in a circus wagon to give my 


13 


194 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


mother the shock of her life. She may not 
be so sure of the influence of heredity and 
environment, her favorite watchwords, after 
meeting Donna. 

Dorothy gasped; accustomed to Tory 
Drew^s sudden stimulating suggestions, she 
had not anticipated any such behavior from 
Tom Courtenay. 

Really, Tom, you take my breath away. 
We will have first to speak to Miss Frean and 
discuss the idea together. I hope you are 
not angry with me although I still believe 
what I said. Suppose we go back to the hotel. 
There is enough excitement ahead of us 
to-morrow. You donT think there is any 
danger in going through Mammoth Cave?^' 

Tom laughed. 

“For Girl Scouts? I thought they were 
superior to all physical dangers, so remarkable 
is their prowess in hiking, swimming, signaling, 
fire building—^there isnT time to repeat the 
entire hst of their accomplishments.^^ 

Dorothy shook her head. 

“Why should you think I meant danger 
for the Girl Scouts? I may have been fearful 
for their masculine escorts; but come on, let 
us go to bed and not quarrel any more to¬ 
night.^' 


CHAPTER XVI 


SCOUTING 

T he procession inside the Cave was led 
by the guide. Behind him followed the 
college professor, then Tom Courtenay, 
Dorothy McClain, Louise Miller, Edith Lin¬ 
der, Joan Peters and Margaret Hale, the 
Scout Captain, Teresa, Evan Phillips, Ann 
Craig and Donald McClain, who brought 
up the rear. There were no tourists save 
their own party and the professor from the 
University of Louisville who had introduced 
himself as Professor Irwin. 

The Girl Scouts and their Captain marveled 
at the underground wonders, but presently 
they began, in human fashion, to take them 
more for granted. 

Tom Courtenay was in advance of the 
party, following the guide and the college pro¬ 
fessor. Close beside him was Dorothy, but 
there was little conversation between them. 

The first part of the journey was unevent¬ 
ful, and they lunched gaily in a beautiful 
grotto. 


(195) 


196 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


The beginning of the second part of the 
journey was arduous. A narrow ledge of 
rock extended for a number of yards mth 
sheer precipices on either side. One gazed 
down into complete darkness. If there were 
footholds in the rocks below there was no way 
of beholding them. 

“Look straight ahead, watch where you 
are going and what you are doing. No 
danger, the guide instructed. 

Several of the girls were nervous. Dorothy 
had no sensation of alarm. She was too 
calm and collected, yet too good a Scout not 
to obey instructions. 

She walked more warily than before, for¬ 
getting Tom Courtenay^s presence, forgetting 
their diiBferences of the past twenty-four hours. 

So intent was she upon watching each step 
that at the same instant she heard Tom Court- 
enay^s agonized cry, “Dorothy!she saw 
him slip over the ledge. He flung his arms 
forward, managing to clasp them about one 
of the stones in the pathway that had a slight 
abutment. 

Immediately Dorothy crouched down. She 
placed her arms about him, under the armpits, 
clasping her hands so tight together her fingers 
dug into her palms. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


197 


Tom was slipping, his own grasp was too 
feeble, and the weight of his body was drawing 
him down. He would drag Dorothy with him; 
at present only the clasp of her arms like steel 
kept him from the blackness beneath. 

^^Let go,’^ he commanded, without a trace 
of the boy in his face. Ordinarily Dorothy 
would have obeyed such a tone instinctively. 
Now she only held tighter. Not in vain had 
been her long athletic training. She had been 
playing tennis with her brothers, swimming 
and rowing since she was seven or eight years 
old. In the past two years her Scouting work 
had kept her in condition. No one with 
muscles less hard and responsive could have 
maintained such a grasp. 

Dorothy felt no pain, no great fear, only an 
intense tenacity of purpose and a deadening 
ache in her body which seemed to increase her 
endurance. 

Only a few seconds and yet so long I 

The guide carried a rope knotted about his 
own waist. In a moment, with the assistance 
of Professor Irwin, he had the other end about 
Tom Courtenay. With no great effort the two 
men drew him back to his former foothold. 

Louise Miller helped Dorothy arise. 

Now that the danger was past she was 
whiter and more shaken than Tom himself. 


198 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Please stop for a few moments, I am sorry 
to delay the procession, but I can^t move on at 
once/^ 

The guide was berating Tom Courtenay. 

^SSee here, young fellow, if it hadnT been 
for that there Girl Scout, you would have 
cashed in your checks. I couldnT see you, I 
donT have eyes in the back of my head, but 
Pve been noticing. You are one of these 
smart young fellows that don’t have to take 
precautions like ordinary people. You’ve 
been through the cave so many times you 
think can’t nothing happen. Gee, I have 
never had anybody lost or hurt since I have 
been guide these twenty years! Lucky thing 
you didn’t spoil my record!” 

Tom had sufficient self-possession to smile. 

Yes, it would have been hard luck for both 
of us!” There was nothing disagreeable or 
superior in his manner at present. His cool¬ 
ness and grace, his debonair air were not 
assumed, they were a part of his temperament 
and training. 

At four o’clock in the afternoon of the same 
day, the trip through Mammoth Cave ended, 
the party of Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing 
with their Captain and two escorts were on 
the train returning to the Helm farm. 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


199 


Dorothy was sitting beside the Scout Cap¬ 
tain and Miss Frean’s arm was about her. 
Neither one of them had discussed the nearly 
averted tragedy. Dorothy looked too tired 
and troubled. 

One of her responsibilities as Scout Captain, 
Memory Frean believed, was to study the 
character of each one of the Girl Scouts with 
whom she was associated. She realized that 
although it was a relief to Tory Drew to pour 
forth her emotional excitement, Dorothy 
could not speak of the things that touched her 
until the first emotion had passed. 

They both glanced up to see Tom Courtenay 
come into their train from the smoking car 
and walk down the aisle. Evidently he was 
looking for them. 

He stopped and sat on the arm of the seat 
beside the Scout Captain. 

^^Will it crowd you too much if I sit here a 
few moments. Miss Frean? I want to say 
something to you and Dorothy that she 
probably would not allow me to say if we 
were alone. I am aware of the fact that I 
owe my life to her. Does one thank a person 
for a trifling matter like that? I donT sup¬ 
pose I can ever thank Dorothy, but she seems 
to me the best Scout I ever saw, the quickest 


200 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


and coolest and bravest. Of course, under the 
circumstances I am prejudiced in her favor. 
I don’t suppose the fact that I think she 
deserves the Golden Eaglet would be allowed 
to count for much. But, Dorothy, my life is 
more or less at your service. I mean if there 
is any request you feel you wish to make of 
me, I shall do what you ask.” 

Tom smiled and the seriousness departed 
from his face. 

“We have been quarreling. Miss Frean, for 
the past twenty-four hours, whenever we had 
the chance. I have been as bumptious and 
disagreeable as possible. But I am not going 
to apologize at present, because Dorothy is 
perfectly capable of stating what she really 
thinks of me and I do not wish you to 
hear.” 

He leaned and looked persuasively at the 
Scout Captain. 

“Promise me you vdll make us the visit in 
Lexington. Mother has written again insist¬ 
ing she wishes to know my new Scout friends. 
You won’t disappoint us?” 

“Tom Courtenay, do people always do 
what you wish?” Miss Frean inquired. 

Dorothy was under the impression that 
Tom had won his cause. 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE BROAD HIGHWAY 


HE Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing 



and their Captain were hiking toward 


Lexington. They were passing 
through the most beautiful portion of the 
blue-grass region of the state. 

Behind them crawled slowly the gold-cov¬ 
ered canvas wagon. 

Purposely keeping some little distance away 
so as to avoid making them conspicuous, 
nevertheless ‘^The Dollivers” were actually 
a part of the Girl Scout pilgrimage along the 
open road. 

Inside the canvas wagon were their sleeping 
tents and heavy equipment. Riding in the 
wagon with Mr. Dolliver and Donna was 
Tory Drew, while walking along the roadside 
with Donald McClain and Tom Courtenay 
was the third member of the Dolliver trio, the 
boy. Bob. 

Unless she could make the journey by train 
or wagon Tory was not equal to the fatigue of 
the trip. 


(201) 


202 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


There had been no great difficulty in per¬ 
suading the Scout Captain to agree to this 
temporary addition to their original party. 
She was interested in Donna and anxious to 
know something more of the girhs future 
opportunities before saying good-by to her, 
possibly forever. A few more days and their 
own summer holiday would be past, then home 
and school and the winter Scout work. 

Sorry to be ill, notwithstanding, Tory was 
greatly enjoying her glimpse of the world from 
the seat of a wagon that served as a dwelling 
place and a storage warehouse for the neces¬ 
sary circus properties. 

^^So you would like to know when and how 
we built the wagon, Miss?’’ Mr. Dolliver 
inquired, looking greatly pleased with himself 
and his two girl passengers. ^^In a way the 
wagon wasn’t never built, it’s like Topsy in 
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, it has ^just growed.’ 
First it w^as simple like and the Missus and 
Bob and Donna and me only traveled by day 
and put up at different places for the night. 
We used to carry our cooking utensils and oil 
stove even in them days, since the Missus was 
as good a cook as she was a bareback rider. 
Then she died and kind of by degrees we began 
turning the old wagon into a home. Some- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


203 


times there wasn^t much money to give for 
beds in places, and the beds wasn^t much 
when you had paid for ’em. And sometimes 
on beautiful, warm, moonlight nights Donna 
useter say: ‘Why do we want to sleep in 
stuffy little bedrooms when we’ve the wagon 
and the outdoors?’ So Bob and I fixed up 
those side seats so they can be turned into 
beds and Donna made the curtain to divide 
the wagon into two parts when night comes 
on.” 

Mr. Dolhver flopped the reins on the back 
of his old horse. It was a mere gesture, the 
horse proceeded always at the gait that best 
pleased him, which was a mere snail’s pace. 

“Then Bob, he made the little shelves for 
Donna’s books and give ’em to her for a Christ¬ 
mas gift. We have bought books when we 
had a dollar or two to spare and sometimes 
when we ain’t had ’em to spare. Donna keeps 
her little trinkets on those shelves, the box 
with her mother’s letters and pictures and 
whatnots. Maybe she might like to show ’em 
to you some day. Donna won’t let me say it, 
but there’s times lately when I think she ought 
to connect up someways with her mother’s 
folks. ; She knows how I feel toward her, but 
I ain’t selfish as maybe I look. She ain’t so 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


^4 

well, and somehow, since meeting up with you 
Girl Scouts, I kin see better what she needs, a 
more regular life, you might say, and food and 
a education and friends of her own kind, not 
just Bob and me and the good fellows one 
meets on the open road. Now ’bout her help¬ 
ing with the show we was planning to give in 
Frankfort, the capital city of this here state. 
Can’t you make her see she ain’t strong 
enough? And if she was, she couldn’t stand 
having the crowd staring as they always have 
done when she ain’t minded so much. There’s 
something awful close between my Donna and 
me. Most always we know what the other’s 
thinking and feeling without a word. Suppose 
you ain’t put any faith in her coming out to 
warn me the barn was going up in smoke, but 
Donna and me—well, we know, and it ain’t 
likely it’s anybody’s business. I kin sense 
that Donna ain’t never going to be the same 
about circus acting since she met you Girl 
Scouts and you have kind of, sort of, taken 
her in, as you might say.” 

The three travelers of the open road were 
seated upon the front seat of the gold-covered 
canvas wagom, Donna beside her foster father 
and Tory beside Donna. 

Occasionally the two girls talked together 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


205 


in low voices while Mr. Dolliver either rumi¬ 
nated or soliloquized. 

. Following his suggestion Donna brought her 
box of treasures to share their secret with her 
new" friend. 

would rather you would not read the 
letters, because I do not wish you to know the 
name of my mother^s family. I am not going 
to turn to them in any case, so if father wants 
to get rid of me he will have to find some one 
else to look after me. I do want you to see my 
mother’s picture and some other photo¬ 
graphs.” 

Tory looked at the image of a young woman 
not unlike Donna herself, slender, refined and 
with a good deal of personal charm. Several 
of the pictures included a number of persons, 
perhaps groups of actors, as they suggested 
professional people. 

^^Here is my favorite photograph of my 
mother when she was seventeen and evidently 
taken with an intimate girl friend. You see 
they have written their first names and their 
ages upon the back of the picture, 'Mary and 
Patricia, 17 and 18.’” 

Tory’s romantic imagination was fired. In 
addition to the photographs, Donna showed 
her several notes to which only first names 


206 


THE GIRL SCOU'^rS 


were attached, two or three from the same 
Patricia. She also exhibited half a dozen old- 
fashioned trinkets, one of them a gold locket 
with the picture of the girl who appeared in 
the photograph. 

A half hour before luncheon time, Tory 
climbed down from the wagon to walk for a 
mile or more with the Girl Scouts and to eat 
with them. She insisted that Donna join 
her, but Donna declined positively and finally. 

^^No, Bob and father and I always have our 
meals together, and I prefer to do the cooking. 
You need not worrj^ about us. Mrs. Helm 
packed up a basket of provisions, nearly as 
large an amount of food as she bestowed on 
your party. We wonT starve for a little 
while. And no matter what father may 
think, I am strong enough for our show at 
Frankfort. I am going to reassure him that 
I am not ashamed of what I have been doing 
all my life. If you like you and the other 
Girl Scouts may come to see me.” 

There was a bravado in the tone that failed 
to deceive Tor}^ Drew. She possessed a 
temperament too responsive to other people^s 
emotions to be easily deceived. Within the 
past few days she had learned to know the 
girl of the gold-covered canvas wagon more 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


207 


intimately than she knew three or four mem¬ 
bers of her own Girl Scout Patrol, because there 
was a deeper law of attraction between them. 

Later, as Tory marched along the open 
road beside Dorothy McClain she continued 
to think of the other girl. What could be done 
to help her? As Girl Scouts they owed a duty 
to less fortunate persons. To turn her back 
upon Donna Foster within a short time and 
trust to chance to render aid, did not appeal 
either to Tory^s sense of the dramatic or to 
her kindness of spirit. 

“What is it you are dreaming about, Tory? 
Dorothy finally inquired. “You are not 
already tired out?^’ 

“Gracious, no! I was thinking how many 
times I miss ^ Doing a Good Turn Daily ^ and 
if it were not possible to do big things now 
and then which help to cover up one^s many 
lapses from grace?” 

“Yes. Well, what is it you really have 
upon your mind?” her companion continued, 
knowing from long experience the fashion in 
which Tory approached a subject. 

Tory smiled. 

The line was moving slowly and in double 
formation, allowing opportunity for conversa¬ 
tion and observation of the beautiful pastoral 


208 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


land about them, a country that seemea to 
follow the Bible description of flowing with 
milk and honey. 

^^To be exact, Dorothy, since you demand 
it, I was thinking of what we could do within 
the next few days to raise money for ^The 
DoUivers.’ We have had an expensive holi¬ 
day, none of us is rich, and the small sums we 
could give them, provided they would accept 
our gift, would in no way solve their dilemma. 
You see, I want to provide for Donna^s 
future. 

' This time it was Dorothy who smiled. 

‘‘How like you, Tory Drew! Now I have 
been thinking that it would be a thing to 
remember with pleasure if we could arrange 
for Donna to have a few months’ rest and 
grow strong or a winter at school. You calmly 
state that you desire to arrange for her future. 
A large order!” 

“Yes, but what I actually meant was more 
what you said, my dear. You see, Dorothy, 
you and I make a happy combination of fancy 
and fact. Well, what shall we do? Have you 
a plan by which we can rub Aladdin’s lamp?” 

Tory spoke jestingly. She had no thought 
of any definite answer and knew her comnan- 
ion was not given to idle speculation. 



AND THE OPEN ROAD 


209 


Yes, I have. The idea is not mine and I 
am afraid is not going to work out. The 
other evening Tom Courtenay told me that he 
too had developed a surprising interest in our 
open road acquaintances. I think he is 
anxious to befriend Donna but is really more 
intrigued by Mr. Ignatius Dolliver. He told 
me to discuss his proposal with Miss Frean 
and our Patrol. When we arrive in Lexington 
he wished to give an entertainment, a kind of 
vaudeville it seemed to me, for the benefit of 
the ^ Dollivers. ’ W4 were to give Girl Scout 
exhibitions, he believes the Scout troops in 
Lexington will be curious to find out if we 
have accomplishments differing from their 
own. Then he planned to ask Evan Phillips 
to dance and Donna if she was well enough. 
But the glory of the entertainment, I think, 
was to be a one-act play in the form of a 
monologue that Tom wished to deliver. Apart 
from more important reasons he is determined 
to convince me that he has more dramatic 
talent than I think he has. Of course, I don’t 
know anything about it, really, and am not 
competent to judge in any event, but I told 
Tom he seemed to me the last person in the 
world suited to the stage. He was angry. 
We have made friends and he aooears willing 


14 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


no 

to forget how I annoyed him in view of what 
almost happened at Mammoth Cave/^ 

Tory^s dark eyes widened with mirth and 
appreciation. 

^^Yes, I should think under the circum¬ 
stances Tom might forgive even your doubting 
his great dramatic gifts. Your opinion was 
without any special foundation. I presume 
you judge by his manner and appearance. 
Tom does look more like an agreeable young 
society fellow with unusually good manners 
and breeding. You would have him hollow 
eyed and histrionic. Not that I speak from 
any experience, but most actors nowadays 
seem to play society parts. I should love to 
see Tom make the attempt, apart from the 
money we might earn for the ^ Dolhvers. ^ But 
as we are to be in Lexington only thirty-six 
hours or less, I donT see how things can be 
managed. 

Neither do Dorothy answered a little 
wistfully, ^^and I am sorry. I would like to 
take back what I said to Tom, if I could truth¬ 
fully alter my opinion. You know, I canT 
pretend very successfully. As soon as lunch 
is over, suppose we talk to him! Perhaps he 
can make arrangements after all! Not that 
we yet have asked Miss Frean^s consent.'^ 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


211 


When luncheon was over Tom, Dorothy and 
Tory went to be alone to the shelter of a large 
tree by the roadside. Tom Courtenay con¬ 
sidered the situation thoughtfully. 

^^No, donT you see it is altogether out of 
the question? You 'will be in Lexington only 
one evening. What time would I have for 
making preparations beforehand? I would 
have to secure a theatre and stir up an audi¬ 
ence. I would not have our entertainment a 
frost. My mother would never be willing 
not to have you with her the one evening 3^011 
are our guests. Pity you canT stay longer— 
almost no visit at all! I shall scarcely have 
time to show you ^The Lindens.’ I wish, 
Tory, there was something we could do for 
^The Dollivers’ that would amount to some¬ 
thing. They are a great trio!” 

Tom Courtenay w^as stretched out full 
length on the grass at the feet of the two girls. 
Upon the opposite side of the road a few yards 
back, the gold-covered canvas wagon had 
halted. On an overturned log Donna Foster 
and her father sat talking, while Bob w^as 
leading away the horse for w^ater. 

There was an air of unconscious dejection in 
the two figures as if they were taking counsel 
together in a forlorn cause. 



213 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


Donna looked delicate and drooping as a 
wayside flower too long exposed to the heat 
and dust of the road. 

Under his breath Tom whistled softly, Tory 
sighed and Dorothy McClain frowned. 

Suddenly Tom sat upright. 

^‘We shall be in Frankfort by noon to¬ 
morrow. Do the ^Dollivers^ plan to give one 
of their outdoor circus performances there?” 

Tory nodded. 

Donna insists upon it, although Mr. Dolli- 
ver declares she is not well enough, but I am 
afraid it will be necessary, for their finances 
are perilously low.” 

^^Well, I can relieve Donna if need be and 
if one of you girls will consent to dance with 
me. Now donT agitate yourselves. No one 
is to know who we are. The dance is by 
Pierrot and Pierrette and we wear white 
masks. I can secure the costumes and the 
masks when we reach Frankfort and no one 
will be the wiser. It would be great sport and 
who knows we might make such a success 
money will pour down upon the ‘Dollivers^ 
in a silver flood.” 

Sounds like a pleasant fantasy, Tom, but 
not a reality,” Tory Drew answered. ^^Who 
do you suppose could appear with you in an 


AND HIE OPEN ROAD 


213 


impromptu dance, provided Miss Frean would 
give her consent, and that is more than 
doubtful?” 

Unexpectedly Dorothy turned ally. 

She had been astounded by Tom^s proposal. 
Actually in the days at the cabin she had been 
thinking of him as nearly grown. Now each 
hour she grew to know him better he seemed 
more a boy. He no longer appeared older 
than Donald, although in fact he was more 
than a year older. At the present moment 
he was in earnest about wishing to be of use 
to the ^^DoUivers”, but was also delighted 
with the idea of dancing incognito before a 
crowd, many of whom might be his friends or 
acquaintances, who would be shocked and dis¬ 
pleased to discover his identity. i 

^^Evan Phillips could dance with you, Tom, 
if she is willing. You know she is a marvel. 
Remember how she used to dance in the w^oods 
during the summer of ^The Girl Scouts in 
Beechwood Forest 7 She intends to be a pro¬ 
fessional dancer. Her mother is a teacher 
and Evan has been studying since she w’as a 
little girl. Of course Miss Frean might not 
agree, but suppose we ask Evan first?” 
Dorothy suggested. 

Five minutes after Evan Phillips joined the 
small group. 


214 


THE GmL SCOUTS 


^^Why, yes, I would dearly love it!^^ she 
answered, as soon as Tory made her under¬ 
stand what was desired. “ I have been yearn¬ 
ing to dance before an audience without any¬ 
one knowing me, so as to test myself. I am 
sure mother would not object; she knows I 
plan to be a professional dancer and is as 
anxious as I am that I shall be successful. 
This is for the benefit of some one who needs 
help. I suppose the Girl Scouts of my own 
Patrol would be in the audience as unknown 
and unrecognized chaperons in case Miss 
Frean is willing. We could practice together 
to-night after dinner, Mr. Courtenay? 

The winning over of the Scout Captain was 
not easily accomplished, but she finally gave 
her consent, and the pas de deux was long 
talked about by those who were fortunate 
enough to be spectators. 

They danced the immortal story of Pierrot 
and Pierrette, representing in their dancing, 
the friendship, the quarrel, the parting and 
the reconciliation. 

Not a great sum of money was realized, 
but it was a memorable event in the lives of 
Tom and Evan, and the Dollivers were grate¬ 
ful for their kindness. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


OUT OF THE PAST 

LINDENS” was a place of an 
I entirely different character from 
the Helm farm. The house had 
been built within the past few years, but fol¬ 
lowed an old Colonial model and was in the 
midst of an estate of a thousand acres. 

Mr. Courtenay, Tom^s father, had made a 
large fortune in tobacco; the tobacco fields 
were not near. The house was in the center 
of an ample lawn covered with linden trees. 
A long avenue of the same trees led to the 
broad white doorway. 

The Girl Scouts of the Eaglets Wing and 
their Captain had been guests at ^^The Lin¬ 
dens” since early morning. They had been 
driven about the estate and through the heart 
of Lexington. They had been entertained at 
luncheon by the half dozen Girl Scout troops. 

At present it was four o’clock in the after¬ 
noon and the eight Girl Scouts and Jane Helm 
were assembled in Mrs. Courtenay’s large 
upstairs sitting-room waiting for afternoon 

( 215 ) 


216 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


tea to be served Patricia Courtenay was 
seated cross-legged on a cushion demanding 
Scout information from Margaret Hale, whose 
younger sisters v/ere Junior Scouts. She was 
therefore supposed to possess the necessary 
information. 

Miss Frean had gone to her bedroom to 
rest for half an hour. Mrs. Courtenay was 
giving orders with regard to an informal 
dance for the Girl Scouts at eight o^clock of 
the same evening. Donald McClain and 
Tom Courtenay and Katherine Helm were in 
town and would not return until dinner time. 

^^Well, I am sorry we did not make more 
money for the ^Dollivers^ the other day, but 
I am glad you thought our dance a success! 
Miss Frean seems to feel we did not disgrace 
ourselves after all, particularly as no one 
guessed who we were,^^ Evan Phillips re¬ 
marked, leaning back in a soft blue velvet 
chair and clasping her hands behind her head. 
She was speaking directly to Tory Drew and 
Dorothy McClain who were near by. 

Tory nodded. 

“Yes, but the ^Dollivers^ think fifty dollars 
a great deal of money for a single outdoor 
performance! Donna confided to me that it 
was five times as much as they make ordi- 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


217 


narily. However, I am afraid fifty dollars will 
not provide for her future or even arrange to 
give her a winter at school/’ 

Dorothy spoke in a low, confidential tone. 

^'Tom Courtenay hopes his mother may be 
interested in Donna and will help. He has 
persuaded her to ask Donna here to tea with 
os this afternoon.” 

At this instant the door opened and Mrs. 
Courtenay came into her sitting-room. She 
and her son were alike, the same dark eyes 
and hair, the same charming air of courtesy 
and breeding. 

“Has the little girl of the gold-covered 
canvas wagon arrived?” she inquired, looking 
around the room. “I am not in the habit of 
having so many girl visitors at once and I can¬ 
not distinguish you at the first glance.” 

“No,” Tory replied, as usual acting as 
spokesman for her Scout Patrol, “but she 
surely will be here any moment. She may 
have had difficulty in finding her way.” 

“Oh, no, Tom sent a car for her, but I tliink 
we will wait another quarter of an hour for 
tea—” 

A shy knock on the door interrupted Mrs. 
Courtenay. Mrs. Courtenay herself opened 
the door to Donna Foster. 


218 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


The young girl stood outside, hesitating. 

She wore a costume the Girl Scouts had 
never seen. In fact, Donna had made part 
of it since the arrival of the gold-covered 
canvas wagon in Lexington. 

The dress was of cheap material but of a 
deep and lovely shade of red. She wore a 
shabby black cape and a small red turban of 
the same material as her dress. Her face was 
white and her lips scarlet. 

She put out her hand and Mrs. Courtenay 
drew her in. Then the woman and girl stood 
staring silently at each other. 

Their manner was so strange, their expres¬ 
sions so odd, that the Girl Scouts in the room, 
Jane and Patricia Courtenay as well, were 
surprised and puzzled. 

Mrs. Courtenay soon recovered her seK- 
possession. 

am glad to meet another one of Tom’s 
new friends,” she remarked. 

The newcomer shook her head. 

am not one of your son’s friends. My 
father and brother and I are outdoor circus 
performers. Your son has been very kind.” 

^^So 1 have been told. Suppose you sit 
down and I’ll have tea brought in.” 

Notwithstanding the fact that they were 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


219 


feasting on the famous beaten biscuit of Ken¬ 
tucky and marvelous jams, Tory Drew and 
Dorothy McClain gave especial attention to 
the impression that Donna Foster was making 
upon Mrs. Courtenay. They could obtain 
but scant satisfaction. 

Mrs. Courtenay was busy in serving her 
guests. Donna Foster sat pale and silent and 
Tory thought singularly ill at ease. 

She answered the questions of the Girl 
Scouts in monosyllables. Whenever no one 
was addressing her directly, her gaze was 
fastened upon a particular corner of the room. 
For what reason Tory was impatient to find 
out. Why was Donna not frank and natural 
and wistful as she always had thought her? 

A telephone message forced Mrs. Courtenay 
to leave the room. 

The instant she had gone, without a word, 
Donna Foster arose quietly and walked across 
the long, lovely room toward the comer by a 
window. 

Impelled by curiosity and annoyed by 
Donna’s peculiar behavior, Tory Drew fol¬ 
lowed. She felt an impulse to scold and warn 
the girl of the gold-covered canvas wagon. 
She was too wise in reality to make Donna 
either more unhappy or self-conscious. 


220 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


In the comer of the room by the window 
she saw her staring at an ordinary object, a 
framed photograph that hung upon the wall. 

Donna had been ill. 

Tory believed that the excitement of the 
visit and the fact that she may never have 
entered so beautiful an apartment before or 
met so charming a woman as Mrs. Courtenay 
had stimulated or fatigued her too greatly. 
Under the impression that Donna was about 
to faint, she put her arm quickly about her. 
Donna had turned even whiter than before. 
Her nostrils were twitching and the bright 
color had vanished from her lips. 

You are ill, don’t you think you had best 
sit down? No, let me take you into another 
room. You will feel better alone,” Tory sug¬ 
gested, aware that the other Girl Scouts and 
Patricia Courtenay were gazing at them 
curiously. 

Mrs. Courtenay’s bedroom adjoined her 
sitting-room and the door, only a few feet 
away, chanced to be open. 

Without waiting to ask their hostess’ per¬ 
mission, Tory led the other girl into this room. 

She seemed glad enough to drop silently 
into a large chair. 

“Be perfectly quiet, I’ll get you some water 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


221 


and then tell Mrs. Courtenay/' Tory added 
and disappeared for a moment. 

^^Tien she returned she found that Donna 
was standing before Mrs. Courtenay's dressing 
table, again staring fixedly before her. 

Tory became more seriously annoyed, even 
a little frightened. 

Mrs. Courtenay's dressing table was of 
mahogany and filled with silver toilet articles, 
with framed photographs of her husband and 
children and intimate friends. 

Nevertheless Tory's gaze was impelled to 
follow her companion's. 

Then she too turned a shade whiter and 
caught at Donna's arm. Donna was leaning 
forward, her eyes upon an old-fashioned 
picture of two girls in a silver frame. The 
photograph was the same that Tory had seen 
in Donna Foster's collection of her own 
mother's girlhood possessions. 

You recognize the photograph, don't you, 
Tory? I am not dreaming. Tom Courte¬ 
nay's mother is my mother's girlhood friend. 
When I first came into the room I thought I 
had seen her somewhere before. I was 
bewildered and I am afraid I behaved 
strangely. Then aftenv^ards I saw a picture 
of my mother upon the sitting-room wall. I 


222 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


could not be sure until I went near to look. 
What must I do? Shall I tell Mrs. Courtenay? 
Will she be glad or sorry to know me?^^ 

Tory Drew^ had no opportunity to reply. 

Both girls heard the sweep of soft silk 
skirts and Mrs. Courtenay held out her hands 
to the girl of the gold-covered canvas wagon. 

^^My dear, is it really true? You are Maiy 
Buiion’s daughter? Tom told me a little of 
your history. And Mary did marry an actor 
and her family never received her again. I 
never saw her afterguards. Are you sure you 
are not attempting to deceive me? WTiat 
have you to gain? It all seems so improbable, 
so impossible, our meeting in this way!” 

Evidently Mrs. Courtenay was repenting 
her first enthusiasm. Tory felt an extraor¬ 
dinary resentment, as if she were being 
doubted and not her companion. 

Donna faced the situation more quietly. 

^^I don’t wonder 3^ou cannot beheve me, 
Mrs. Courtenay. I can scarcely believe my¬ 
self that you are my mother’s old friend. But 
I have been looking at your picture for so 
man^^ years. Do you by any chance recall 
giving my mother a locket with a picture of 
you inside? If 3^ou do, I think you will no 
longer doubt me. I am wearing the locket 


AND THE OPEN ROAD 


. 22S 


inside my dress. I don^t know why I put it 
on to-day, except, I felt I wanted to wear 
something of hers.’^ 

^^My dear, I never really distrusted you. 
I have a locket exactly like yours. Your 
mother and I gave them to each other when 
we were eighteen, our birthdays were only a 
week apart. 

Leaving Mrs. Courtenay and Donna to¬ 
gether, Tory stole quietly out of the room. 
Neither one of them paid the least attention 
to her departure. 

Please come with me to Miss Frean^s room. 
I have something to tell you,” Tory whispered 
to Dorothy McClain. 

The two girls sat upon the edge of the Scout 
Captain^s bed, while Tory related the dramatic 
story. 

^^It makes a wonderful climax for our sum¬ 
mer's hoUday, does it not. Memory Frean? 
Now I suppose Mrs. Courtenay will adopt 
Donna Foster and she will be happy ever 
after.” 

Tory rose and crossed over to the open 
window. 

To-morrow we take the train for home, 
and so ends our pilgrimage along the open 
road.” 


«24 


THE GIRL SCOUTS 


At noon upon the following day the Girl 
Scouts and Miss Frean left for the East. Dele¬ 
gations from Scout troops came to the depot 
to say farewell; nevertheless Tom Courtenay 
managed a five minutes’ conversation alone 
with Dorothy McClain and Tory Drew. They 
were about to climb the steps into the train. 

Donna Foster will stay with us for the 
winter and go to school, mother has persuaded 
her that the Princess Pat needs a companion. 
Best of all, I have found an occupation for 
Mr. Ignatius DoUiver. A circus is to be in 
winter quarters near here and Mr. DoUiver 
to be employed by them. In consequence he 
feels like Napoleon. So you see what the 
Girl Scouts of the Eagle’s Wing have accom¬ 
plished.” 

Tory shook hands and ran up the steps into 
the vestibule of the car. 

Dorothy Ungered an instant longer. 

^^Not the Girl Scouts alone; I think Tom 
Courtenay is largely responsible. Thank you 
for many favors and good-by.” 

Dorothy ascended the first step as the train 
was slowly moving off. 

“It is not good-by. I’ll see you next Christ¬ 
mas in Westhaven!” 

Then Tom Courtenay moved away. 


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